A Start From Scratch
by Becca86
Summary: Life is peaceful for Sora: he transfers to a great college, makes lots of new friends and even shares a room with his favourite cousin. But what everyone wants to know is why he leaved his previous school? Many parings [Akuroku] [SoraxKairi] [SoraxRiku]
1. Chapter 1

Hi everyone! XD I hope you're doing well! Okay, so this is my first fanfiction! I'm happy and nervous at the same time..I don't really know if it is good. It'll be boring in the beginning, but it'll get more interesting next ! (starting chapter 5) If you are patient, you will be rewarded later, I promise ! Anyway, I hope you'll enjoy this! By the way, english isn't my mother tongue so this may contain mistakes, although I read this over and over to make sure there are none. I'm done, so I'll let you discover this!

Disclaimer: Kingdom hearts and its characters aren't mine, but its creators!

17 o'clock. In less than one hour, Sora would be off to his new college. He was packing his bags when his mother knocked on his bedroom's door.

" May I ? " she asked.

" Sure, mom ! "

The woman who entered was quite small but still taller than Sora. She had brown and silky hair tied up in a ponytail. There was something in her eyes and her smile that gave her a gentle expression. It could make anyone's worries melt.

" It's almost time to go. Are you sure you didn't forget anything ? " she asked.

" Everything's in there ! " he said, pointing his suitcases with his thumb.

" Clothes ? "

" Got them ! "

" Toothbrush ? "

" Mom, don't you think you.. "

" Boxers ? " she interrupted.

" I said I have everything ! So, don't worry, okay ? "

His mother still had a concerned look on her face. She looked straight into Sora's eyes while saying :

" Are you… sure you want to go today ? You could wait a little before leaving. "

" I can't stay at home forever " Sora said, looking at the ground.

His mother didn't say anything else. She knew he wouldn't change his mind. She walked to the door and said, as she closed it :

" I'll wait for you downstairs. Warn us when you're finished ! "

Sora looked around in case he did forget something, and then, he saw his book. It was on his desk.

" Damn, I almost forgot it ! " he said, as he went to his desk. The book wasn't old but it was damaged and there even were torn pages.

Meanwhile, Sora's mother went in the living room where her husband was waiting for her.

" So, did he say anything Misaki ? " he said, looking at her.

" He has all his stuff packed, it seems. "

" I suppose it's a 'no' …" he said, still looking at his wife.

" It bothers me too Hiro. I want him to talk to us as much as you do. But we can't force him ! We have to wait until he decides to say everything to us himself. "

" But it's been a month already ! " Sora's father said, looking more and more worried. " Maybe letting him go to this college is a bad idea.. "

" We can't keep him here ! He knows better than anyone else what's best for him ! " she replied, shaking her head as if she was also trying to convince herself.

" Er…..excuse me ? " a little voice said behind them.

Startled, they both turned to face Sora who was clearly embarrassed by what he just heard. His mother talked first.

" Is everything ready ? Then, I'll help you get your stuff downstairs. " she said, trying to smile.

As they were going upstairs, Misaki heard her son saying, in a whisper :

" I'm sorry… "

" You don't have to be, Sora. Your father said that only because he worries about you. All you have to know is that we will be there when you'll need to talk to us. Okay ? "

This time, she had a bright smile on her face. Sora nodded and then took two of his suitcases while her mother took the last one.

As they went down the stairs, they heard the doorbell. Misaki turned her head to face her son.

" It's probably your cousins ! " Sora's mother said, a cheerful look on her face, just like him.

Her husband opened the door to the two cousins who didn't have time to say a word because of Misaki, who was literally running to them, her arms opened.

" Here you are, my loves ! " she said while hugging them. " Welcome Roxas, Cloud ! "

The spiky-haired brothers didn't seem surprised. After all, it was always like this when they came to see their aunt.

" Auntie, you're hugging me too hard ! I can't breathe ! " Roxas said, laughing. Cloud had a small smile on his face as he said " hello " to his aunt.

" Misaki, how many times do I have to tell you that you are being impolite by doing this ! " Hiro said, embarrassed.

" I don't care ! Besides, they never complained about it before, right ? " she asked, looking at the two boys.

" It's okay uncle ! Really ! " Roxas said. He looked behind the couple and a huge grin appeared on his face. " Sora ! "

" Hi guys ! " Sora said. He managed to take his luggage down alone. His mother let go of it as soon as she heard the doorbell and he had to do it himself in the end.

" Look at you ! You carried a few bags and you're already exhausted. You really need to develop your muscles ! " Cloud said, teasing his brown-haired cousin.

" Oh my gosh, that's right ! I'm so sorry, I totally forgot about it ! My poor little baby ! " Misaki said, hugging her son.

" Mom ! Let go ! " Sora said, seeing everyone laughing at them.

" No way ! "

Once the cheerful mother calmed down, they all took Sora's luggage and put it in Cloud's car. I twas time for the departure. Before going in the car, the brunette said goodbye to his parents, being kissed on the cheek by his mother.

" Take care, son. " was all his father could say.

And then, he leaved them. The drive to school was pretty quiet and Sora looked at the window. How much time was left until they got there ? How was the school and people who went there ? The trip went by fast and they soon arrived at the school. It was pretty big and it even looked like there were many buildings. It was way bigger than Sora's previous college.

The dorms were farther. Cloud entered in a small parking lot and that was the end of the drive. Sora got out of the car and stretched hir arms as he yawned. He heard Cloud mutter and turned back. The blonde man was taking his suitcases out of the boot.

" Man, are you a girl Sora ? What's in those things ?! They're pretty heavy ! "

" You should develop your muscles ! " Sora said, imitating what his blonde cousin said earlier. But it didn't last long when he saw the glare Cloud was giving him. Roxas was laughing like mad.

They entered the dorm and went in the first corridor, on the right, which was pretty convenient for the boys. They stopped at the door that had the number 013 on it. When he saw the number, Sora almost yelled :

" Oh no ! Not that number, it'll bring bad luck ! I'll be cursed ! "

The brunette was running in circles, his arms in the air.

" Be quiet already ! Since when do you believe in theses sort of things anyway ? " Cloud said.

" It's okay bro, he's always like that. I thought you'd know him better… " Roxas said, giving Cloud a disappointed look.

" Hey, don't blame me now ! You see him much often than I do ! " the blonde replied.

Once Sora was finished fooling around, he followed Roxas and Cloud in the room.

" That is where I leave you two. Unlike you guys, I have work that needs to be done. " Cloud said as he went towards the door.

" Thanks for the drive ! " Sora said, smiling.

" Hm. " was the only reply Cloud gave before leaving. Then, Roxas turned to Sora.

" Now is the best part : let's unpack all this ! " he cheerfully said to Sora.

It took them some time to put Sora's stuff in the room. There were two beds placed next to each other. Next to them was a huge window that let a high amount of light enter the room. In front of the beds was a desk. « _Why only one desk when this room was obviously made for two students ?_ » was what Sora thought. And he wasn't going to think much than that. He was too tired. He lied on his bed, crossed his arms under his head and looked at the window. From their room, they could see the campus' garden.

" What's wrong ? " Roxas asked.

" Nothing. Why do you ask ? "

" You always lie on your bed like that when something's on your mind. " Being in the same room as his cousin seemed like a great thing at first for Sora. But now, he was beginning to doubt it. Roxas had been with him often since they were in primary school and he knew Sora pretty well now.

" Oh ho ! " the blonde boy said, grinning.

" What ? What is it now ? " the brunette asked, fearing the worst.

" Is it a girl by any chance ? "

Bingo !

" Is it a what ?! " Sora replied, blushing.

" I knew it ! Who is it ? Do I know her ? How does she look like ? Spill it ! " Roxas said, while tickling his cousin, who was laughing and couldn't say a single word.

" Er.. what are you doing Roxas ? "

The called boy stopped teasing the brunette and turned back, surprised.

" Hey ! You could knock at the door before coming in ! "

" I did but you didn't hear, it seems. "

Roxas went off of Sora, who sat up on his bed. There was a boy standing up in the middle of the room and he was staring at him. He seemed to be angry. Was it because of Sora ? The blonde teen noticed the boy's stare and said :

" Oh, that's right ! You don't know each other ! Sora, this is Riku. "

The boy named Riku, who was looking at Roxas while he spoke, turned back to Sora. He had emerald eyes and silver hair that made him seem cold hearted. How surprised Sora was when Riku suddenly smiled.

" So he's the relative you talk about so much ! " He approached Sora and hold out his hand to him.

" Pleased to meet you. " The blue-eyed boy blinked a few times before shaking the boy's hand.

" So am I. " Sora said, smiling back.

" By the way, why are you here Riku ? " Roxas asked. The silver-haired teen turned around and faced him.

" Can't I come to say hello ? "»

" You never come here without something to ask ! "

Silence filled the room for a few seconds.

" Well..There is this thing I don't really understand. " Riku finally said, handing a sheet of paper to Roxas. The blonde took a quick look at it before exclaiming :

" Are you kidding me ?! We had one month for this homework and you do it only now ?! We have to hand this over tomorrow ! "

" I know but I couldn't do it earlier ! " Riku replied.

" Somehow, I don't believe it.. " He looked at Riku who was expressionless. " I can't help you. " Roxas concluded.

" Eh ? Why ? "

" 'Why' you ask ? Because it took me a whole week to do this essay. " Riku sighed in disappointment and walked towards the door when the blonde boy added : " But.. "He didn't finish his sentence on purpose. Sora understood it when he saw the green-eyed boy coming back fastly and looking at Roxas like he was his savior.. Which he was. The scene was priceless. " But I know someone who can help you. " Suddenly, the brunette had a bad feeling about this.

" Really ? Where can I find him or her ? " Riku asked, ready to run to the room number his friend would give him.

" He doesn't look like it at all, but he's smart. Essays are a piece of cake for him. "

Oh no, Sora didn't like this at all… Wait a minute.

" Hey, what did you mean by 'he doesn't look like he's smart' ?! You… "

Roxas burst out laughing. Sora was so easy to trap. It didn't take Riku a long time to understand who the blonde was talking about.

" You sure he's that smart ? " the green-eyed boy asked, a grin on his face.

There went Sora's peaceful evening.

The next day was Sora's first day of school. He was feeling nervous about it and hoped everything would go well. He had literature for 4 hours in the morning. When the brown- haired teen entered the classroom, following Roxas, there were already a bunch of people from their class. Roxas noticed Riku and took a seat next to him. So did Sora.

" Hi, mate ! " the blonde said.

" Hello guys ! " the platinum-haired boy replied, as Sora gave a quick nod. " Thanks again for your help ! " he added, smiling at the brunette.

" You're welcome ! "

They talked for a while before some of the other stundents came to chat with Sora, asking for his name and other stuff. Then, his attention got caught by a man's entrance. " _Great_ " Sora thought. " _Of all the teachers in here, Cloud had to be my literature teacher !_ " That was bad luck. The blonde teacher asked for silence and everyone soon returned to their seats. Cloud quickly introduced Sora before he asked the students to hand their essays over. The brunette looked at Riku, a concerned look on his face.

" Don't tell me that essay was for him ? "

" It was. Why do you ask ? " Riku replied, quite surprised by his expression.

" Roxas, you did this on purpose, didn't you ?! " Sora said. He was really angry. As a reply, his cousin looked at him, wondering what was wrong with him. He suddenly seemed to remember something and covered his mouth with his hand. When Cloud took Riku's sheets of paper, he took a quick look at them and then laughed. The silver-haired boy looked at Sora, who was turning a bright red.

" Next time you ask someone to write your essay,Riku, don't chose Sora ! " the teacher said, still laughing.

" _How did he know he wrote it ?_ " Riku thought.

The whole morning went by fast for Sora. Literature was one of his favourite classes. Unfortunately, this was the worst morning for his emerald-eyed friend, as the blonde man kept glancing at him. It was finally 12 o'clock and the bell rang.

" Food time ! " Sora cheerfully exclaimed.

The trio went to the cafeteria and sat at a table near a window. Soon, Cloud joined them. He looked at Riku once more, before he sat down. The silver-haired teen was about to speak when the blonde man said :

" You were right. " He was looking at Sora but the brunette didn't understand what he meant by that. Then, it struck him and he answered :

" What did I write this time ? " Roxas suddenly looked at the two. He seemed really amused by this. Riku didn't get it.

" Hey, would you mind explaining things to me ? " They all looked at him. " How did you know ", he was looking straight at Cloud, " that Sora wrote the essay ? "

" Wait a minute, I never told you about that ? " Roxas asked his friend. " How come ? " he said to himself.

" Let me explain then " his older brother continued, leaving him in his deep thoughts. " Sora has a special talent when it comes to essays. I mean, except the fact that he always succeeds in writing good ones. "

Riku turned to look at Sora. He was turning a deep red. " _He's so shy !_ " he thought.

" Yeah, and not any talent at that ! " Roxas added. " You see, in every essay he writes, there is a secret message ! "

" Secret message ? " Riku was more and more interested. So interested that he didn't notice Sora trying to escape but to no avail, thanks to Cloud.

" In the first sentences. When you take the first letter of each word, you can read a hidden message. " the blonde said. " Cloud noticed it two years ago. " Since Roxas stopped talking to eat his meal, his brother continued.

" As you might know, Sora used to see Roxas often when they were childen. I used to check on his homeworks when he asked me to. Until that day… " Cloud silenced himself on purpose to tease Riku, who was bitting his bottom lip, waiting for the rest of the story.

" Pretty please, could we talk about something else ? " Sora asked. He was so embarrassed. " It's not that great and.. "

" 'Not great ' you say ? " Roxas cut him, after he swallowed something that looked like mashed potatoes.

" You're the only guy I know who is able to do that ! "

" It's not like I do it on purpose ! It's only a coïncidence.. " the brunette added, hoping it'll stop there.

" That is what makes the thing amazing, dumbass ! " Cloud replied. " Besides, if it really was a coïncidence, those messages wouldn't have a connection with you. "

" But I told you I really don't do it on purpose ! " the blue-eyed teen almost yelled.

" Why are you so ashamed of that ? I think it's great ! " Riku tried to comfort Sora, but only made him more embarrassed. The brothers were laughing.

" What's so funny about it ? " he asked, his green eyes narrowing.

" It's not all. " Cloud continued. " You still don't know what those messages said. " Sora hid his face in his hands, trying to block his ears in the process.

" One of them said 'Mom almost killed me this morning because she hugged me too hard'..Now that I think about it, this one was the longest ! " Cloud added.

" My favourite is ' I really like Roxas' boxers' " ! the blonde boy said, as he began to laugh once more.

" Yeah, and it cost him a few minutes of mad punches.. " the blonde teacher added angrily.

" I already told you I didn't mean anything bad ! " Sora fastly answered. " Come on, he's my cousin ! I couldn't possibly have dirty thoughts about him ! "

" I sure hope you don't " Cloud said, giving Sora a glare.

" But of course ! " the brunette added. Silence filled the space until Roxas asked :

" What did he write this time ? " Sora glared at him.

" He said that Riku has an angry look. " his older brother simply replied.

" Huh ? " was all Riku could say. He turned his face to look at Sora's panicked expression. Was he really looking angry ?

" That is what I thought when I first saw you yesterday. " The blue-eyed boy was waving his arms in front of him while talking. " But it's okay now ! I mean, er.. " As he searched which words to use, Riku looked at him, a smile on his face. " _He's really funny to look at !_ " the platinum-haired teen thought. Then, he saw the brown-haired boy take a deep breath before saying :

" You have pretty eyes ! " Once again, there was silence at their table. Roxas and Riku's eyes widened. Cloud smirked.

" Isn't it surprising ? You like guys Sora ? " the blonde man was now teasing his cousin..once more.

" What I meant was that I.. "

" You don't even deny it ?! " Roxas interrupted him.

" See, I told you ! You owe me 10 bucks. " Cloud happily said.

" That's not fair ! He didn't admit it ! "

" But he didn't deny it either. "

" You guys… " Sora began. His voice was trembling. This was bad. " I'll make you pay for this ! " He yelled before taking his tray and walking away.

" Maybe we went a bit too far. " Cloud said, scratching the back of his neck.


	2. Chapter 2

Hi again! I hope you all had fun and nice gifts for Christmas! And soon, it'll be new year's eve!! My, my, time goes so fast!...Ugh, I sound like an old woman, that's scary! Oo; Anyway, here's the second chapter! Thanks for reading the first chapter and this one as well! I hope you'll like it!

**Disclaimer:** Kingdom hearts' characters are not mine (unfortunately).

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Riku didn't see Sora after lunch, mostly because Roxas and Cloud warned him not to go near him before he calmed down. The afternoon lessons weren't that much boring, so time passed by fast.

" What should I do now ? " he asked himself. He didn't have homeworks to do and he didn't want to waste his time in the school. So he decided to go back to the dorms. They were empty at this time of the day, so he would be able to take a little nap if he felt like it. He met some girls on his way and heard them talk.

" This guy is so cute ! Well, 'cute' isn't really appropriate for a boy but… "

" It's the first time I see him ! He must be new or else, I would have noticed him months ago ! " Then, the girls giggled and kept on talking but Riku couldn't hear what they said since they were too far from him. When he crossed the dorms' entrance, he saw someone lying on the grass. The boy – he assumed it was one – was reading a book. The teen was about to enter the building when he heard someone calling him. He turned back and saw the boy getting up and running towards him, his book in his hand. His face seemed familiar.

" Sora ! " The platinum-haired boy finally recognized his friend. Sora stopped in front of Riku, panting because of the run. They stood there for a moment while the brunette was getting his breath back. When he did, he looked up at Riku, a worried look on his face.

" About earlier… I'm sorry ! " he said, looking at the ground.

" Sorry about what ? " the green-eyed boy asked. He thought for a minute and added : " Oh that ! It's okay. People use to tell I look angry all the time. " Sora looked up as he heard his new friend laughing. He couldn't help but smile. " By the way, what were you reading ? "

" I wasn't. This book only contains pictures ! You see, since we're having art lessons, I thought I should try to improve my drawing skills. "

" How can pictures do that ? " Riku arched an eyebrow while asking.

" You wouldn't understand. " Sora replied, laughing.

" Hey, be careful or I'll really be angry ! " the other said, grinning. " Well, since you don't seem busy either, why not spend the afternoon together ? "

" Sounds like a good idea ! " the brunette cheerfully said.

He followed his friend to his room, which was on the first floor. It almost looked like his own room, except for the beds that were facing each other. There was also a big window. Sora ran in the room and looked outside : he could see the campus' garden from here too.

" Nice view, isn't it ? " he heard behind him. Riku's voice seemed close. Sora turned his face to see that he was, indeed, close to him. The blue-eyed boy moved away so that he could keep his distances. Riku didn't seem to notice it.

" So, what do we do now ? "

Sora folded his arms to his chest and tilted his head to the side as he thought about it. He hoped he'd quickly find something because it was kind of awkward.

" You're very close to Roxas, right ? " Riku began. " He talks about you often, more than about his older brother. "

" Really ? What does he say ? " Sora asked, curious.

" Well, he told me many things, such as how you used to stand up for him in junior high. You were a hero in his eyes, though you both ended being beaten up most of the time. "

" That was stupid.. "Sora added, his cheek becoming rosy.

" Not at all ! I think it's great how you guys can count on each other. I wish I knew someone like that too. " Riku smiled gently as he spoke.

" Hey, want me to stand up for you too ? " Sora said, a huge grin on his face. " But I warn you, it won't be cheap ! "

" I can stand up for myself ! " the other replied, sticking his tongue. The brunette laughed at the view. He'd never have believed Riku could be like this if one had told him.

" What's that noise Riku ? " a voice said as the door was opened. A tall guy entered the room. He had red hair and green eyes too.

" Lessons are already over ? " Riku asked him.

" Nope. I'm skipping them. Too boring. " the boy simply said as he fell on his bed. " By the way, who's the shrimp right beside you ? "

" His name is Sora. " Riku elbowed him in the ribs and the brown-haired boy quickly added :

" Nice to meet you ! "

" Yeah, same here. The name's Axel. Got it ? "

" Yes sir ! " he replied, raising a hand to salute. Riku burst out laughing. Axel looked at Sora for a moment before he said :

" Looks like we'll be on good terms, shrimp ! "

" My name's not shrimp but.. "

" Sora ! " someone yelled as the called boy felt he was being embraced. It was Roxas. That's right, he's also in Sora's class, so it's only natural to see him in the dorms. « I'm so sorry for teasing you ! Will you ever forgive me ? » he asked. Sora looked down at him and pushed him away. Riku wanted to say something but Sora was faster.

" You know what to do if you want me to forgive you . " he simply said.

" Not that ! " Roxas exclaimed. " We said it was for extreme cases only ! "

" I was soooo mad at you. Maybe I still am. " Sora said, taping his chin with his index finger.

" Okay, understood… " The blonde made sure he had place. Then, he stared at the ceiling and began to turn around and around and around. When he fell on his rear, his cousin laughed a little and simply said it was enough.

" I hope so ! " Roxas said. " I feel like throwing up now, dumbass ! " They all sat on Axel's bed and began to talk about many things, including the fact that the brunette held a grudge against his relative.

" Really Sora, you're a life savior ! " the blonde said. " Since Cloud is busy watching after you, he never realised that I'm going out with someone."

" What ?! You never told me ! And I thought we were like brothers ! " Sora said, as he pouted.

" Well, I didn't know how you'd take it.. "

" Why ? " the brunette asked. Riku felt quite uncomfortable about this.

" Because he's the one. " Roxas said, pointing to Axel. Sora opened his mouth but no words would come out. His eyes widened.

" But you… and he… " he tried to speak but only ended up saying " Cloud. "

" Pretty please, don't say anything about this to him ! " Roxas said. " You know what he thinks about this kind of things ! " For a moment, the brunette thought that he would understand his older cousin's reaction. But, at the same time, he didn't want to hurt his other cousin's feelings. Riku and Axel were watching in silence. Sora looked straight in Roxas' eyes.

" Don't worry, I won't tell him. " The blonde sighed in relief. " But there is a question I'd like to ask you, if you don't mind, that is. "

" Sure, go ahead. " Roxas said, intrigued.

" How did you find out you liked guys ? " Roxas giggled hearing such a question coming from Sora. He never thought he'd talk about that with him.

" Well, Axel asked me out but I wasn't sure at that time. He was waiting for an answer and I didn't know what to do. So, I asked Riku to help me. "

" Hey, don't tell me you're going to.. " the silver-haired boy began. Ignoring him, Roxas continued.

" The best way to find out if I liked boys was to try to kiss one. And since Riku was there, I asked him and thanks to him, I could give Axel my answer. "

" Yeah, thanks. But do not try it again ! " the red-haired boy said to Riku, who was slightly blushing.

" Of.. of course I won't ! " he said, waving his arms in front of him. It was better having Axel on your side than against you. When Riku turned to look at Sora, the blue-eyed teen seemed lost in his thoughts. He snaped back into reality and said :

" I wonder what it feels like… " The three boys were looking at him now. " Er…did I just say that out loud ? "

" Yes, you did. " they answered in unison.

" Maybe Riku could help you, shrimp ! " Axel said.

" No way ! " Sora and Riku said at the same time.

After teasing them, Roxas and Axel kept on talking to each other while Riku didn't say a single word. Sora, on his side, kept on looking at the others' lips, thinking " _They all kissed one another and it doesn't seem to bother them at all !_ " He felt his cheeks becoming redder and redder. In the end, he just arose on his feet and ran out of the room.

" What's wrong with him ? " Axel asked.

" He needs time to accept our relationship. " Roxas replied.

" You talk about him as if he is your father ! "

" Actually, he's more like a little brother sometimes. " Roxas knew his cousin didn't mean any harm by running away the way he did. So, he didn't mention it anymore and continued to talk with Axel and Riku.

" By the way.. " the silver-haired teen began to say. He wasn't sure if he could say what was on his mind, but since the two boys gave him a nod to continue, he said : " Why did Sora transfer here ? I mean, it's been two months since the school year started and… " Silence filled the room. Roxas looked at his feet before saying :

" I don't know the details but it seems something happened in his previous college. He didn't tell anybody about it yet, so we know nothing. " He looked up at his two friends while adding " Please, don't tell him I told you about it. It's a touchy subject.. "

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Sora was back in his room, panting. He closed the door slowly and lied down on his bed. He truly didn't want to be bothered that much about what Roxas told him but he couldn't help it. It was so sudden ! He turned on the side ans closed his eyes. Soon, he fell asleep. In his dream, he was hearing someone calling him but he couldn't wake up. The voice became clearer and clearer.

" Sora ! " He jumped and opened his eyes wide. He felt sweat on his forehead. He sat up and realized it was Roxas' voice he heard before. The blonde looked preoccupied.

" Are you okay ? You were struggling in your sleep, you scared me ! " he said. The brunette was pale and feeling dizzy, but he just replied " I'm okay " as he looked at the clock. 21 o'clock. He slept for so long ! Now, there was no way he could fall asleep again.

" I'll go outside for a walk. " he said, grabbinb his jacket.

" Now ? Don't you know what time it is ? And you'll catch a cold ! " Roxas said in vain. Sora already left. The young boy opened the dorm's door, feeling the cold wind blowing on his face. It felt so good ! He went out and looked up. Suddenly, something fell on his nose.

" Rain ? " Sora wondered. No, it wasn't it. He waited until something fell on him again, and it did, on his jacket this time. " It's snowing ! " the boy exclaimed. Soon, many snowflakes were falling. Although it was dark outside, Sora could see them cleary, thanks to the street lamps. Still looking up, he closed his eyes and took a deep breath. He felt his worries melt, just like the snow did. After a while, he sat on a bench, his hands in his jacket's pockets, and kept watching it.

" Snow ! " he heard behind him. Sora turned around and saw a red-haired girl. She had beautiful eyes, blue ones, and her hair was falling on her shoulders. Another girl was with her.

" Come on, Kairi, I'm freezing to death ! Let's go back in our room ! " the second girl said. She had brown hair and big green eyes. She seemed to like yellow a lot as most of her clothes were of that colour.

" You're no fun, Selphie ! " Kairi said. " Just go back if you don't want to stay ! " She sticked her tongue at her friend, who didn't say anything and went back to the dorms. The boy didn't pay attention to them anymore and kept thinking. He vaguely heard the red head walking and asking " May I ? ". It took him a while to realize she was talking to him. When he did, he replied « yeah, sure ! », as she sat beside him and watched the snowflakes' fall too.

" It's so pretty ! " she suddenly said. She turned her face and looked at Sora. " _So cute !_ " he thought.

" Yeah. " he replied, once more.

" It's a shame how pretty things never last. " she added. " All this snow will be gone tomorrow before we even realize it was there. " She sighed.

" It's precisely what makes it beautiful. " Sora said. " If we were to see snow everywhere for months, we'd end up seeing it as something trivial. " The girl tilted her head to the side as she smiled.

" I suppose you're right. By the way, what's your name ? I don't remember seeing you before.. " she said.

" I'm Sora ! I transfered here yesterday. " the boy said, smiling back.

" In the middle of November ? How come ? " Sora looked at his feet as she asked it. He was feeling quite uncomfortable. " Sorry " Kairi fastly added, " I'm being too curious ! " She nervously twirled her hair around on her finger. She looked up at Sora, an embarrassed expression on her face. She was slightly blushing, probably because of the cold weather.

" It's okay, I just don't want to talk about that for the moment. " the blue-eyed boy said, blushing too. He looked at Kairi who seemed to be about to say something, but all she did was yawning. " You seem exhausted. " Sora told her.

" Hell, yeah ! I woke up so early this morning ! " she said, stretching her arms as she spoke. Then, she stoop up and added " I think I'll go back and sleep. It's not snowing anymore anyway. " She was right : the snow stopped a while ago, but the brunette didn't notice. The girl walked away and then turned back.

" I almost forgot ! My name's Kairi ! It was nice to talk to you, Sora ! " She waved and ran inside the building.

" Kairi… " Sora repeated. A few seconds after the girl entered the dorms, a boy went out of it and ran towards Sora. It was Riku.

" Sora, there's a phone call for you ! " The brunette looked surprised and followed his friend. The phone was in the students' lounge, where many people were chatting and watching TV. When Sora picked the phone up, it became more quiet though.

" Hello ? "

" Good evening ! How's my son doing ? "

" Mom ! Hi ! " Sora replied.

" I wanted to wait a little bit more before calling you but your dad is worried to death ! And you know how annoying he is when he's like that ! " Sora heard his father saying something to his mother, who giggled. " So, how is school ? Did you make any friends ? "

" Well, I'm doing fine and.. " he said but was cut short because his mother yelled. Sora moved the receiver away quickly. Riku, who was still standing beside the blue-eyed boy had this " what's wrong ? " expression. When the noise stopped, Sora moved the receiver closer and listened.

" See ! I told you he'd be alright ! " he heard his mother say. " You lost and you owe me 15 dollars now ! " Sora became red from anger.

" How dare you bet on me ! " he yelled. Now, everyone was looking at him but he didn't give it a damn.

" Aww, don't be so angry ! We were just worried ! "

" So you had nothing else to do than that ? Which mother would make bets out of worry ?! " He violently hung up and walked away, Riku following him. " Man, what's wrong with them ? " He suddenly stopped walking. The platinum-haired teen almost hit him. The brunette truned back and said :

" Riku, if I ever make a bet with someone, hit me ! " That being said, he kept on walking, leaving a confused Riku.

------

The next day was the worst of the week. They had English for 2 hours, followed by History class until 17 o'clock. To top it all, Sora was reprimanded because he fell asleep during class. He couldn't help it if he didn't sleep at all that night, but the teacher wouldn't hear a thing. In the end, the brunette had an essay to do as a punishement. At least, the teacher thought it was one. Once Sora went out of his History lesson, he yawned and smiled at his friends. School was finally over ! Among the students getting out of the room, he noticed a red-haired girl.

" Kairi ? " he called. The red head turned back and the blue-eyed boy could see her face. He wasn't mistaken ! She waved and ran towards him, a bright smile on her face.

" Hey, Sora ! The teacher was so mad at you ! I couldn't believe it ! If you need help for your essay, you can ask me, okay ? "

" Thanks, but I'll be alright ! " he replied. She seemed disappointed by the reply. Selphie called her and she left. Axel, Roxas and Riku looked at Sora.

" What ? " he asked.

" Just to let you know : be careful. She may seem nice but she's a fake " Roxas said. Axel and Riku nodded.

" Who ? Kairi ? " Sora's eyes widened as he spoke.

" She's already going out with someone anyway. " Axel added.

" And she's flirting, all the same. " Riku continued.

" Hey, hey, don't you think you're being too hasty ? We're just friends you know ! " Sora replied, a slight blush appearing.

" Changing the subject, " Roxas said, " I heard the ice rink is free for students this evening ! Why don't we go together ? "

" Yeah, I heard that too ! It seems like a good idea ! Do you mind if I ask some friends to come with us ? " the red-haired boy asked.

" Sure, ask them ! What do you guys think about it ? " the blonde asked Riku and Sora.

" I'm coming ! " Riku cheerfully answered. Sora didn't know what to say. He looked at Roxas and whispered :

" But I.. I don't know how to skate.. " He quickly looked at the ground as soon as he finished his sentence.

" I'll teach you, then ! " Riku said before Roxas could even open his mouth.


	3. Chapter 3

**Disclaimer:** Kingdom Hearts and its characters do not belong to me! (but you already know that) Now, have fun!

------

The ice rink was pretty big from the changing room's windows. There were many people skating and Sora doubted there would be enough place for them.

" Sora, come put your ice skates on ! "

Sora turned back and ran towards Roxas. Riku just finished to put his on, and the brunette was the last one. He sat on a bench and took his ice skates. Once he was done, he stood up and tried to walk. It felt strange at first but he quickly got used to it.

" Axel, this way ! " the blonde said as he waved. The red-haired boy was followed by five of his friends. There was one girl with them. Roxas and Riku seemed to know them, so Sora felt left out until Axel said :

" Guys, the shrimp there is Sora ! Got it ? " There he goes again, calling him 'shrimp' !

" Hi boy, the name's Larxene. " the girl said. She had strange locks of hair that made her look like an insect.

" Nice to meet you, I'm Marluxia. " a boy, with hair that was alsmot pink, said.

" I'm Xigbar. " one of the boys added. He didn't look really pleasant, and his looks weren't helping at all.

" I'm Zexion. " a blue-haired boy said. He looked so calm ! The last one looked at Sora before holding out his hand.

" Xaldin. " That was quick but still polite. Sora shook hands with him and the other guy smiled a bit.

" Okay, now that introductions are done, let's go ! " Axel exclaimed, a fist in the air. They all followed him on the ice and many of them began to skate. They were so fast ! Sora tried to move slowly, grabbing the barrier that was surrounding the ice. After a while, he wanted to skate without any help, but he soon fell on his back.

" Are you okay ? " Riku asked, coming to Sora. He hold out his hand to help him stand up and noticed that the blue-eyed boy wasn't wearing gloves. " You didn't brought them ? " he asked.

" Brought what ? " the brunette asked.

" I see. " Riku replied, as he took off his own gloves to hand them over to his friend. " Take mine ". The brown-haired teen did what he was told to do.

" Riku, you have such big hands ! Your gloves are too big for me ! " he said, smiling.

" It's better than nothing. " the platinum-haired boy replied. " Okay, let's begin the lesson ! " he said, standing next to Sora.

------

On the way back to the dorms, the group was laughing loudly, except for Zexion, that is. Sora assumed he wasn't the talkative type, as all he heard him say was his name. It bugged him and he tried many times to talk to him, but only recieved glances as replies. Xaldin tried to help Sora by answering and asking things to the blue-haired boy too, but to no avail. After a while, the brunette gave up. Once they arrived at the dorms, they split up and the two cousins went to their room.

" That was great, don't you think ? " Roxas asked.

" Hell, yeah ! Now, I can skate thanks to Riku ! " Sora answered.

" It's good to see how you two get along ! The first time I saw him, he didn't talk to me at all. " The blonde then whispered, though it was just them in the room. " To tell you the truth, it's Axel who introduced me to him. " Then, he winked and grinned.

" Is that so.. " Sora trailed off, finding the wall pretty interesting all of a sudden.

" Sora, could it be you're blushing ? You're so cute ! " the blonde said, ruffling his relative's hair.

" Hey, don't call me 'cute' ! " the brunette said, his face turning a deep red.

Meanwhile, Riku was lying on his bed, looking at the window. He was lost in his thoughts but Axel snapped him back into reality.

" Hello ? Are you listening, buddy ? " he said, an annoyed tone in his voice.

" Huh ? What ? " Riku asked, blinking a few times before lifting his head up. His roommate sighed.

" I was saying that I had a lot of fun tonight ! " His eyes narrowed as he spoke.

" I noticed that. You kept on glancing at Roxas' bu… "

" Don't you dare finish that sentence ! And I wasn't ! I just… made sure he didn't fall. "

" If you keep on being like that, you'll scare the poor little boy. " Riku answered, looking at the window again.

" Are you saying that I'm an old pervert ?! " the red head said, his voice raising a little.

" **You** said it. " the silver-haired boy told him. He heard Axel mutter and saw him put his blankets on him. It was getting late and Riku was exhausted. As he closed his eyes, he thought about all the things that happened in the evening. Axel was right : it was really amusing.

------

A few weeks had passed since Sora entered college. He was now getting along pretty well with his classmates and made a few friends amongst people from the dorms. Every Sunday, his mother would call him to make sure everything was alright.

" By the way, who is that Riku ? " Misaki – who is Sora's mother – asked. So, it was Sunday and school break was close now.

" One of Roxas' acquaintances. " Sora said.

" Someone you must like a lot. You're always talking about Riku. " his mother said. She didn't spoke for a few seconds, which was really weird, and Sora almost thought she hung up.

" Hello ? " he said.

" Sorry, I was just thinking. "

" About what ? " Another moment of silence.

" Say, Sora, and I want you to be honest ! Are there… cute girls at school ? " She couldn't see her son but she knew he was blushing.And she was right. Since he didn't answer, she continued. " Please, don't fool around, okay ? Mommy's still too young to have grand-children. And you're not responsible enough ! How come ?! What did I do wrong ? " she said, almost crying on the phone. She had such vivid imagination. Sora panicked and even his father, who was probably listening to their conversation, seemed worried when he said " what did he do ? What happened ? "

" Hey, hey ! Don't rush it, will you ! I did nothing…like that, okay ? " the brunette said, lowering his voice, so that nobody could hear him. Misaki was still perplexed, so he tried to reassure her. " Don't worry mom, there aren't that many girls in the dorms anyway. The only one I know is Kairi and.. "

" What ? There's also Kairi ? " she interrupted. What did she mean by 'also' ? Wait…

" Er… Mom, Riku is a boy. " Sora said. What would he say if he knew he had been mistaken for a girl ? He surely would be angry. The brunette laughed at the thought.

" Phew, you scared me there ! Since you were like 'Riku this, Riku that, and Riku told me that..', I always thought you were talking about your girlfriend ! " She giggled. " Anyway, we can't wait to see you during vacation ! And you know what ? We're celebrating New Year's Eve at your father's friend's house ! He's working at the same place and we helped him to move out. So, he invited us to thank us for our help. Isn't he nice ? "

" That's good. " Sora simply said. He wasn't that happy to go to a stranger's house. He'll have to bear with it. He felt someone taping on his shoulder and gave a quick glance behind him. " I have to go ! It was nice talking with you ! I'll call you next week ! "

" Silly boy ! You're coming back next Friday ! " Misaki replied.

" Really ? Woa, time goes fast ! Well, see you next week then ! " He hung up and turned back, fully smiling. " Hey Kairi ! "

" Hello Sora ! Sorry that I interrupted you ! " the girl said, winking.

" It's okay, we were finished anyway. " Sora lied. " Is something wrong ? "

" Nope. Just wanted to ask you to go outside for a walk ! "

" I'll go get my jacket ! Wait for me ! " The brunette said, as he rushed to his room to take his scarf too. Then, he went out and searched for Kairi : she was waiting next to a street lamp. They walked in the campus' garden but it wasn't that big. So, they decided to go to a park nearby. It was gorgeous and wide. The perfect place for walks ! In the middle of the park was a big lake with a fountain in its center. Some ducks were swimming.

" How can they swim when it's so cold out there ?! " Kairi exclaimed. She grabbed Sora's arm and stood close to him. " Do you mind ? I'm freezing ! " The boy nodded. His cheeks were rosy, just like hers. She leaned her head against the brunette's shoulder and giggled. He didn't like that. After all, they weren't going out. And what if her boyfriend was to see them like that ? He'd beat the crap out of Sora and it would be the end of an almost peaceful life. He was too young to die ! Sora knew, at that moment, where his vivid imagination came from… They had been walking for an hour and their feet began to hurt, so they sat down on the grass. At first, Sora thought it'd be wet but it was just a bit cold.

" It's such a pretty view, isn't it ? " Kairi asked, tilting her head on he side.

" Yes, it is.. " Sora trailed off. She was a really pretty girl, and he couldn't think of anything else when she was around him. He didn't know if it was what people used to call 'love' though. He stopped thinking when he noticed that Kairi was acting strangely.

" Is something wrong ? " Sora asked. The girl had her face turned to the young boy's, her eyes closed. It looked like she was waiting for something. She opened her eyes and blinked two times. " _Could it be he's **that** dense ?_ " she thought. She looked at the lake again, letting a small sigh pass her lips. The brunette didn't pay attention to it and looked at his watch. It was almost 16 o'clock and he had to go back. He and Roxas were going to Axel's room to play a video game he just bought. He stood up and excused himself, leaving Kairi alone.

" That boy is so stupid. " she said when he was gone.

------

" You're late ! "Axel said when Sora went in his and Riku's room. Roxas was already there.

" I'm so sorry ! Something came up and I didn't know it was already this late ! " the brunette said, looking at the boys while scratching the back of his neck.

" Don't be so down, I was just joking ! " Axel said. Sora closed the door before taking off his jacket and tossing it on a chair. He sat on the red-haired boy's bed, next to Roxas who was lying on his tummy. " _Rpg_ " Sora thought as he looked at the tv screen. " _a futurist one it seems._ " He looked on the side and saw Riku sitting on his own bed.

" What are you reading ? " he asked. Riku looked up at Sora and sighed.

" An insomniac's dream. " he replied.

" Once again, he's doing his homeworks late. We had two months to read this book. " Roxas added.

" Why don't you help him, then ? " the brown-haired teen asked his cousin.

" Because if I do, he'll never learn from his mistakes ! "

" And it works so well ! " Axel exclaimed, " This time, he has two days left instead of an evening ! " He didn't add anything else, as his boyfriend was glaring at him. Sora stood up and sat on Riku's bed. He took the book from his hands and told him to take paper and a pen.

" You'll never be able to finish it in two days, so I'll give you a summary, okay ? You'll do everything else **alone**. " he added.

" You read it ? " Riku asked, arching an eyebrow.

" Yes, and it's a shame you didn't, if you want my opinion. "

" Come on, Sora ! That book is plain boredom ! " the blonde said.

" You just don't understand its meaning. I bet you thought it was dealing with some guy unable to sleep, as the title says. " the brunette answered.

" It doesn't ? " the three asked.

" My, my. You guys should thank Riku for being a procrastinator. " Sora simply said. " At the beginning, there are hints that show the main character is on the verge of dying, and he is remembering the best moments of his life. " The three took paper and pens and listened carefully to Sora's explanations. An hour later, their work was finished.

" To think I was totally wrong ! " Axel said, smacking his forehead with the palm of his hand.

" You'll always surprise me ! In a way, you're scary… " the blonde said to tease Sora, who only stuck his tongue out as a response.

" You helped me twice already. What can I do to thank you ? " Riku asked.

" Saying 'thank you' is enough. " Sora said, smiling at him.

" It's not fair ! You're only nice to Riku. " Roxas said.

" You noticed too ? " the red head added. " He never smiled at me the way he does with him. " Sora felt his cheeks becoming hot and, all of a sudden, he remembered his mother's words about Riku being his 'girlfriend'. His face was so red and hot that tears formed on the corner of his eyes.

" Stupid mother ! " he said, hiding his face in his hands. The other boys looked at one another.

" What did auntie say this time ? "

" She… " Sora looked at Roxas, a tear caused by the blush rolling down his cheek. " She thought she was going to have grand-children. " He didn't want to say more than that. Silence filled the room before the blonde laughed out loud.

" And with who did she think you were going to have a baby ? " he asked, still laughing.

" …Well, she… she thought R-Riku was a girl… " As he stopped talking, Sora hid under the blankets. They understood why Sora reacted this way when they teased him a few minutes ago. It finished Roxas who couldn't stop laughing for the entire evening, because of Misaki's misunderstanding but also, and mostly, because of Riku's expression at that time.

------

Sora was the first one to enter the classroom. He didn't like empty places and hoped someone would come in soon. It didn't take too long before a man entered. Recognizing him, Sora ran to the boy.

" Hey, Cloud ! " The blonde glanced at him and took his stuff out of his bag. He wasn't acting like he usually used to, and it confused the brunette. He was going back to his seat when Cloud called him.

" Could you come here for a minute ? I need to talk to you. "

" I was there a few minutes ago and you ignored me ! " Sora said. " I'm not moving from here. " He folded his arms to his chest as he spoke.

" Fine. Then, I will be coming over." As the blonde man came up, the blue-eyed teen felt his heart beating faster and faster. What was going on ? Cloud sat down next to his young relative and looked at the table. " Seems like you made your mother worry. " After a short moment of silence, he continued. " Anyway, there is something I want to ask you. " Was he also thinking Sora was fooling around with girls ? Why couldn't they trust him ? It was not like him at all !

" Listen Cloud, I have no…"

" I heard rumors about Roxas. " Sora blinked a few times before he realized what his cousin just told him. He looked at the blonde, who was also looking at him now. It felt awkward. " Do you know someone named Axel ? "

" _Crap ! So, he knows about it !_ " the teen thought. He was about to look at his feet but he knew that if he did as such, he'd blow up everything. Roxas asked him to keep it a secret, and he didn't want to break his promise. He tried hard not to look away and, still looking at Cloud, he replied :

" Axel, you say ? Let me see… " Taping his chin with his index finger, he acted as if he was in deep thought. " Nope, I don't know anyone named like that. " he concluded.

" Really ? " Cloud asked, arching an eyebrow. If things were to go on like this, Sora wouldn't be able to hold his tongue for long. Suddenly, he heard someone open the class' door.

" Hey, daddy ! Mommy's here ! " Roxas said, pointing to Riku. The blonde man stood up and walked towards his desk, leaving a sighing Sora. That was pretty close.

------

Cloud didn't mention it at all after that and once classes were over, the brunette made sure he was alone with his younger cousin in their room.

" Hey, what's wrong Sora ? You look funny today ! " the blonde teen asked.

" Now's not the time for jokes ! Cloud knows about you and Axel. " Roxas became pale all of a sudden. He sat, or most likely 'fell' on his bed.

" It's not true… How could he know about it ? Unless…you told him ? "

" Idiot, of course I didn't ! It looks like he heard people's gossips. He even asked me if I knew Axel. I managed to lie to him once, but it won't work twice. " Sora said, looking at his feet. Silence filled the room until Roxas stood up. " Where are you going ? " the brunette asked. The blonde looked really serious and it kind of made him worry.

" I need to tell Axel about this. " He faced Sora before continuing. " I knew from the beginning that we wouldn't be able to hide it from him for too long. It's just that… I didn't think he'd find out so soon. " He closed his eyes and clenched his teeth. " I'm scared to death. What will he do when he finds out ? " He was close to crying. Sora approached the blonde and put a hand on his shoulder.

" Looks like I'll have to stand up for you again. " he said as he gave a gentle smile. Roxas smiled back and walked towards the door. How surprised was he to find Axel behind it, about to knock. The blonde boy couldn't help but cry when he saw him.

" Roxas ? What's wrong ? " the red-haired boy anxiously asked. It was the first time he saw his lover cry and he wished he never did. " There, it's okay now. I'm here. " he said. He gently kissed Roxas before hugging him. Axel was about to quickly wave at Sora, when he noticed the brunette's horrified expression. Was he that much disgusted by a little kiss ?

" Don't you think you're over-doing it ? " the red head asked angrily.

" Now, I have my answer. " someone said behind the couple. It was Cloud.


	4. Chapter 4

Disclaimer: I do not own Kingdom Hearts and its characters.

AN: Woa... It seems this story is kind of...boring. While looking at my stats, I noticed the number of hits were decreasing each chapter. ; Ugh, this is bad, I should react right now!! Anyway, for the courageous ones who are still following, don't worry if things seem strange. Nothing happens for no reason! It will be explained later, okay? And one last thing: thank you very much for the reviews, for adding me to your favourites and alerts! (you can add other reviews if you feel like it!) Happy New Year too! Yeah, that was random! XD

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" Now, I have my answer. " Cloud said. Axel felt Roxas' body stiffen in his arms. The blonde broke the hug to face his older brother. He had such a strange expression : half angry, half sad. Or was it plain disgust ? Without saying anything, Cloud turned back and walked away. Sora tried to call him but to no avail. Roxas fell down in his knees, not hearing or seeing things around him. He wasn't crying anymore and, as strange as it might be, Sora didn't like it. The red head helped him carry the blonde inside the room, seeing people were looking at them. Once Roxas was sitting on a chair, the two tried to make him talk but all he said was :

" He never looked at me this way… "

Hearing this made Sora's heart bleed as much as his. Unlike Axel, he knew how the brothers were close to each other. He couldn't entirely understand Roxas' feelings since he was an only child. All he could do was imagine the pain he was going through, and even if he was just imagining it, it hurt badly. Seeing the two so depressed made Axel panick. He didn't know what to say to make them feel better and didn't dare to ask what was going on. Noticing it, Sora stood up and pulled Axel out of the room by the arm, saying they'd leave Roxas alone for a while. Although it didn't show on his face, the blonde teen was grateful. Thankfully, the student lounge was empty and they sat on the sofa.

" Why don't we go in your room ? " Sora asked.

" It's being cleaned up. "

" Oh, I see. " Not taking the heavy silence anymore, Axel asked :

" What's going on ? And who was that man ? Isn't he your teacher ? "

" He is also Roxas' brother. Right before Cloud saw you two kissing each other, Roxas told me how scared he was of his reaction. And unfortunately, what was feared happened. " Sora clenched his fists, that were shaking like mad. " That jerk ! " he exclaimed, his voice raising. " How dares he react like that ? Damn, he's his only brother ! "

" It isn't that simple, you know. " Axel said as he put his arms on the sofa's back. " People have their own opinions about stuff like that, even if their relatives are concerned. " Sora looked perplexed.

" I don't take your point… "

" That Cloud guy might adore his little bro, if he is disgusted by homosexuals, then… "

" It can't be ! " the brunette interrupted. " He's too close to Roxas to be dis… " The word wouldn't come out, so he just skipped it. " It must be something else than **that**. I'm sure of it. " He folded his arms to his chest and pouted. Although the situation was quite serious, Axel couldn't help but laugh, seeing Sora acting like a child.

" Okay, you must be right. Let's wait and see what happens. "

When Sora went back to his room, Roxas was sleeping. He put blankets on him to make sure he wouldn't catch a cold. The blonde frowned a little in his sleep and turned over.

" I'll talk to him tomorrow. " Sora whispered. He thought he saw the other boy smiling, but it wasn't possibly because of what he just said. He was asleep and couldn't hear him. Right ?

------

Once again, Sora didn't sleep at all. He was as concerned as the blonde about all this. This is why, once again, he fell asleep during the same lesson as a few weeks ago. This time, he got expelled.

" _Great ! Now's my chance to talk with Cloud !_ " he thought, not bothered at all by the troubles awaiting him. Nothing was more important than Roxas at the moment. He went to the teachers' lounge and asked if the blonde man was teaching at the moment. One told Sora he saw him in the cafeteria. The blue-eyed teen ran to said place and, indeed, Cloud was there, drinking coffee. He looked horrible, probably because of the lack of sleep. Anyway, Sora sat in front of him without asking for permission. " _Ignoring me again._ " he thought. He cleared his throat before talking.

" So…How are you ? " Such a stupid question ! Cloud glanced at Sora and looked at his cup of coffee. No reply. " Are you…angry ? " the teen tried.

" Of course I am. " Cloud replied in a harsh tone. " You lied to me. "

" Yes, and seeing your reaction yesterday, I'm glad I did. " the brunette said evenly harshly. Cloud looked at him, his look changing from an angry to an ashamed one. " I can't fully understand your relationship with Roxas, " Sora added in a soft tone, " but you really hurt him, and I hope you won't stop seeing him just because of what you saw. " The teen saw his cousin clench his fists while looking at the table.

" It's too disturbing. " was all Cloud could say.

" You didn't act this way when you thought I liked boys. " Sora bluntly said.

" It's not the same. "

" It is ! "

" No. He's… " The blonde man sighed before looking at Sora. " He's my beloved little brother. "

The brunette's mouth opened but no sound came out. Why did he act coldly if he wasn't mad at Roxas ? The response was simple, but Sora couldn't find it at the moment.

" By the way, you don't look so well. " Cloud said. " And I think you should be in class right now, shouldn't you ? "

" Hm, how should I say this… I got expelled because I… fell asleep. " Sora said, his cheeks becoming rosy.

" It's not like you at all. "

" Well, I couldn't sleep because I was too bothered about yours and Roxas' quarrel. ". Cloud smiled gently as he replied :

" You're too kind. " Sora gulped and dared asking :

" So…is everything okay with him now ? " The blonde's smile disappeared as quickly as it appeared.

" I don't know. " That being said, he arose on his feet and left the cafeteria. Sora rested his chin in the palm of his hand and pouted. One of the cookers asked if everything was alright, and also if he wanted something to eat or drink. He asked for a hot milk only, but she brought him cookies too. " _I must look really tired._ " he thought. He thanked her and bit in one of the cookies. It was delicious ! It made him think of the times when he used to eat them in his old college with his friends and… He looked at the food while swallowing with difficulty. He felt strange and decided to finish everything quickly, so he could go in his room. Once he did, he searched for something.

" Where did I put it again ? " he asked himself out loud. His voice was quavering, his breath fast. " There ! " he exclaimed, sounding less anxious. Under his pillow was his special book, the damaged one. He opened it and pulled out a page. He searched for a pen and, when he found one, began to write. A few minutes later, the page ended up being teared up. As soon as he was finished, he gathered the pieces up, making sure he didn't forget a single one. He ran towards the door, opened it and hit someone who was standing behind it. All the small pieces of paper fell everywhere around them.

" No, no, no, no, no ! " Sora said, panicking. He bent down to pick them up, not paying attention to the one who was standing before him, until he heard :

" You could at least apologize. "

The brunette looked up and saw Zexion. He quickly said he was sorry and continued to pick the pieces up. The blue-haired boy, on his side, wasn't going to end it there.

" What are you doing here anyway ? " he asked.

" Same goes for you. " Sora replied.

" It's my job to be there. So ? "

" Your job ? " the blue-eyed boy asked, curious.

" I'm in charge of the dorms. And don't change the subject. " Sora explained everything, seeing he had no other choice. Once he was finished, Zexion asked : " And about the paper ? "

" I just wanted to throw it. "

" 'Just' you say ? But you teared it up in really small parts. And why don't you 'just' throw it in your trashcan ? " He was getting a point there. Sora didn't want to explain and just looked at his hands that were filled with paper.

" I can't keep it in my room, that's all. " The other boy knew he wouldn't get more details, so he didn't insist.

" Okay, I understand. " He tried to make eye contact with the teen but to no avail. " I… was going to the cafeteria. What about coming with me ? You'll throw this along the way. " Sora looked up and nodded. Once in said place, they sat at a little table made for two persons only. The same cooker as earlier came and she smiled when she noticed Sora.

" You again ? Did you like the cookies that much ? " She giggled. " I'll bring some more then ! "

" No, it's okay. They were delicious but I think I ate too many of them. " the brunette said, smiling weakly.

" I see. Erm… we also have apple pie ! " she added quickly. The teen didn't want to be rude and asked for a slice. So did Zexion. The cooker looked pretty happy and litteraly ran to the kitchen.

" She seems to have a liking for you. " the blue-haired boy said. " How understandable it is… " The brunette didn't know how he should take it. "… with that childish face of yours. " So, it wasn't a compliment. " You didn't like those cookies either ? "

" I liked them. "

" I see. Seems like there'll never be anyone else than me disliking cookies and such. "

" How come ? "

" I'm not fond of chocolate."

" You're weird ! " the teen said, his eyes widening.

" It makes the two of us, then. " Zexion replied, slightly smiling. Sora grinned, only answering " Yup ". He was feeling much better now, and he never thought it would be thanks to the blue-haired boy.

" Zexie ! " a girl yelled at the other end of the cafeteria.

" _Antennas girl ! No…What was her name again ? La.._ " Sora thought. She was accompanied by the three guys the teen met at the ice rink. The blonde girl suddenly froze when she saw Sora, and put a hand before her mouth.

" Shit ! He's scolding a student right now. And I called him 'that'… " she said as a blush began to appear.

" Stupid. Who would offer pie to someone they're scolding ? " Xigbar replied. Xaldin hold back a laugh, seeing Marluxia glaring at the other's back. He looked at said student and asked the others :

" Hey, isn't he that kid we saw at the ice rink ? "

" It's rude to talk about people when they obviously can't hear a thing. " Zexion clearly said. Jumping, the four approached and said hello. Sora simply nodded as a reply and arose on his feet, only to be stopped by Xigbar and Marluxia, who placed a hand on his shoulders.

" What about classes ? " they asked at the same time, a menacing tone in their voices.

" I…well…that is…er… " Sora rambled. Damn, those two looked scary ! Their frowns suddenly turned into smiles as they said :

" Just kidding ! "

" If Zexion didn't scold you, then there must be a good reason behind this. He is the strictest among us after all. " Xaldin added.

" Hey, that pie is so good ! " Larxene exclaimed. The boys looked at her.

" Now, don't eat what's not yours ! " the scarred-face man said.

" It's okay, I wasn't hungry anymore. " Sora quickly said.

" Ain't it adorable ? He's standing up for me ! " Larxene added, smiling widely. Zexion, on his side, was trying hard to hide himself.

" I don't care. You shoudn't do that, that's all. It's disgusting ! Isn't it Marluxia ? " Xigbar asked, as he faced said man.

" Well, I shall admit it kind of gives me the creeps. " the rosy-haired boy admited.

" You guys are as delicates as girls ! " the blonde said, sticking her tongue at them.

" No, it's you who isn't delicate enough. " all the boys said, except Sora, who burst out laughing from the bottom of his heart. It made Zexion feel reassured.

" I really want to eat apple pie now ! " Xigbar and Xaldin said.

" Look at that ! They're acting like primary school children ! " someone said behind them. A lady was carying a whole pie to the table. When she went back to the kitchen, she heard the guys cheer for her.

------

When the group finished to eat, they escorted Sora to his room. The other students looked at him as if he was a dangerous criminal watched by policemen. Seeing this, Xaldin and Xigbar grabbed Sora's arms and dragged the embarassed teen, though Zexion kept telling them to stop.

" I don't know you guys anymore. " the blue-haired boy said as he walked away from them. In the end, it was only Sora and his two guardians. One of them knocked at his room's door. How surprised Roxas was at that view. So were Axel and Riku.

" We've brought the prisoner back to his cell. " the men said as they tossed Sora on Roxas, who fell under his cousin's weight. That being done, the two men ran away, laughing like mad.

" Ouch, those two are impossible ! " Sora mumbled as he sat up. " Are you okay Roxas ? " he added, seeing the blonde boy rubbing the back of his head.

" Maybe you should lose on weight Sora. "

" I think I ate too much pie… " the brunette said, grinning.

" I should get expelled more often, I tell you ! " Axel exclaimed. Sora suddenly looked at him and at Riku, noticing their presence.

" What were you guys doing anyway ? "

" We were waiting for you. " Riku said. " Roxas thought you'd be here, and when we did not find you, we were a little worried. So, we were waiting for your return. " Sora slightly blushed as he looked at the three boys.

" You guys are the best friends I've ever had ! " he exclaimed, smiling widely.

" Tch, of course we are ! " Axel said. When the brunette looked at Roxas, he noticed his cousin didn't seem as depressed as the day before. A small sigh passed his lips and he asked :

" Say Roxas, could you lend me your notes ? "

" Yeah, sure ! " the blonde answered as he searched for them. Sora didn't know if he should tell him about his discussion with Cloud. Maybe it would make him feel better…or worse. Maybe he shouldn't stick his nose into others' affairs. In Roxas' place, Sora would be grateful if his younger relative helped him, but Roxas was Roxas. He'd prefer to solve everything by himself.

" There. " the blonde said, handing his notes over to Sora.

" Thank you. " the brunette replied. Riku noticed his concerned expression and wondered what was wrong with him. Roxas looked down too. And Axel….Well, he was himself : always so optimistic and confident. The platinum-haired boy concluded something was going on between the cousins. He wondered if the red head noticed this too.

" By the way, Sora. " Riku said. " I'm not supposed to know this but the teacher intends to question you next time, so you better revise. "

" When did he say that ? " Roxas asked.

" He didn't. When I went out of the classroom, I heard him mutter. "

" I guess it can't be helped. I'm the one at fault anyway. " Sora said, sighing.

" It's not fair ! " Roxas exclaimed. " It's not like you fell asleep on purpose ! He should blame it on Cloud and me ! " The brunette's eyes widened.

" How did you know it was because of this ? " This time, Riku's eyes widened.

" Silly, I know you well ! You never sleep during lessons, unless you didn't sleep well, which only happens when something's bothering you. "

" And you say I'm the scary one ? You just sounded like my mother ! " Sora replied, laughing. Soon, he was followed by Roxas. Axel smiled as he turned his head to look at Riku. He saw the green-eyed teen's confused expression.

" _I'll explain later._ " he mouthed him. What the red head didn't know was that he wouldn't have to explain anything. He had the proof right after he finished his sentence, when they heard someone knock at the door.

" I'm not answering. " Roxas declared.

" I'll go then ! " Sora said, grinning. His grin faded away when he found himself facing Cloud.

" Can I enter ? " the blonde man asked. The brunette stayed silent and moved to the side so he could go in. " Good evening. " the man said. They all nodded.

" He… hello. " Roxas dared. He glanced at his elder and quickly looked at his feet. He didn't know how to react. Should he be angry or ashamed ? Cloud closed his eyes and sighed.

" Where should I start ? " he asked, more to himself. He scratched the back of his neck and continued. " You might not like what I'm going to say, but I don't want to lie to you. We've always been sincere to each other, and that fact will never change. "

" _Stop rambling already and say what you really want to say !_ " Sora thought.

" I don't like this at all. " Cloud firmly said. Roxas closed his eyes and clenched his teeth. No, he wasn't going to cry in front of his brother ! " But, after all, I think you are old enough to know what you are doing. I… never imagined you could like another man, and when I saw you kiss one, it truly disturbed me. I didn't know how I should react, so I simply ran away. " Roxas looked up at Cloud and opened his mouth to say something. " Let me finish, please. " the blonde man added. " This is really hard for me, so don't interrupt me. " His young brother nodded as a sign to continue. " I'm worried and scared that you might get hurt by all this… Now that I think about it, I may have reacted the same way if you were dating a girl, right ? Anyway…I'm sorry if I hurt you yesterday. " The blonde teen had tears in his eyes but none of them fell. He ran in Cloud's arms, whispering that everything was okay now. Joy filled the brunette's heart and he wrapped his arms around the blonde man's waist.

" Stupid, let go ! " Cloud told him. " One last thing. " He looked at Axel while talking. " Make him cry and you'll regret it for the rest of your life. "


	5. Chapter 5

Disclaimer: Kingdom hearts..blah blah blah... not mine...blah blah...Square-enix/disney...blah blah

New chapter!! I'll be updating this on week-ends only from now on since school started again, which sucks... Oh well, can't help it. Anyway, be happy dear readers because this chapter is one of those chapters you've been waiting for, which means one with some SoraxRiku action! (nothing naughty, I promise! ) I hope you'll enjoy! Thanks again for your reviews, they're really appreciated and make me feel I'm not waisting my time on this facfic!

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" Really, Cloud ! You were a bit too harsh towards him ! " Sora exclaimed. He was sitting in the back seat of his older cousin's car. School break finally arrived ! He and Roxas were going back home during vacation and they were very excited at the idea. The drive was too long for Sora, and he hoped they would arrive soon.

" He's right ! " Roxas added, quite angrily. " Axel didn't even look at me after you threatened him ! "

" I didn't threaten him but warn him. "

" You didn't pay attention to what you told him, did you ? " the teens said.

The car stopped : they were at Cloud's place. The trio took the luggage out of the boot. They weren't as heavy as last time since they just brought clothes back. Roxas' and Sora's parents agreed to come pick them up when they got back from work at the blonde man's place. He was living in an apartment, a big one at that. The brunette always wondered if there were other residents. It was peaceful and one could easily forget they actually had neighbours. As soon as they crossed the apartment's door, Roxas' cellphone rang. He quickly replied and, when he heard the voice of the one calling him, he smiled widely.

" I wonder who's calling him. " Sora said, grinning. He fully knew who the person was. He walked to the sofa and made a light 'thud' when he fell on it. " _So comfortable !_ " he thought, as he closed his eyes. He opened them soon when he felt someone sitting beside him.

" Here. " Cloud said, giving him a glass of lemonade.

" Thanks ! " the brunette replied, taking it. He drank a bit, as he glanced at Roxas. He was still on the phone and he visibly wasn't going to hang up soon. Cloud was kind but so cold at the same time. Staying alone with him made Sora feel quite uncomfortale because he never knew what to talk about with him. This time though, Cloud began the conversation.

" Say, Sora…"

" Hm ? " The man thought for a moment before continuing.

" Well… You know, in one of your essays, there was something that caught my attention. "

" Ugh, what kind of message did I write… " Sora said, having a bad feeling about this.

" You… were talking about a… "

" Sorry guys ! " Roxas interrupted. " I can't believe him ! It's been a few hours only since we parted, and Axel is already calling me ! "

" Don't tell me it annoys you ? " the other teen asked.

" Of course not ! " the blonde boy replied, before telling Sora what he talked about with his lover, but the brunette didn't pay much attention to him and asked Cloud :

" So, what did you want to ask me ? "

" … " The blonde man quickly looked at his brother and sighed. " Nothing. " He stood up and went in the bathroom to change into more casual clothes. He was still wearing his suit.

" If you don't care about what I'm saying, say it clearly. " Roxas told Sora, folding his arms to his chest.

" …I don't care. " the brunette said.

" Really ? " the blonde asked, a not-so-scary menacing tone in his voice. " Then, I'll make you change your mind ! ", which he hadn't time to do, since one knocked at the door.

" Answer, please ! " they heard Cloud say from the bathroom. Roxas opened the door and saw a girl. She had brown hair tied up in a braid with a pink ribbon. Her dress was also pink. She smiled gently at the teen before her.

" I suppose you are Roxas ? " she asked.

" Er… yes. How come you… "

" Hi Aerith. Come in ! " the blonde teen heard his brother say. He quickly turned back to look at him, and moved to the side. " _She smells like flowers._ " Roxas thought as she entered the room. He was about to close the door when he felt someone pushing it.

" Hey, will you stop already ?! " Roxas exclaimed, opening the door to see who was messing about him.

" Is that how children should act towards their parents ? "

" And aunt !!! " an excited woman quickly added. Opening the door entirely, the teen let his father and Sora's mother come in. She quickly hugged him before she ran towards her son. Roxas looked in the corridor, in case someone else was there, before closing behind him.

" You came early ! " Sora exclaimed. One could think he was disappointed, but he truly wasn't, and his mother knew it.

" I came as fast as I could ! I was so thrilled that you were coming back ! " she said, taking her son's hands in hers and jumping around. Sora did the same, as everyone watched them.

" Sora, come over there ! " Cloud said. " It won't take too long. " he added, seeing her aunt's disappointed expression. Said boy walked to him, as he dragged him in another room. As the man closed the door, the brunette looked at him anxiously.

" I'm supposed to give this to your mother. " Cloud said, handing a letter to Sora. He flipped it open and read its content. It was from his History teacher, who was complaining about his behaviour during lessons. He was also warning his parents that he would be definitively expelled from lessons if he were to sleep again in the classroom. Sora's face palled as he read the letter. Once he finished, he looked up at Cloud. If his mother saw that, he'd be dead meat !

" As I said, I am **supposed** to give this to her. " the man said, as he took the letter from Sora's hands. " Let's say it got lost while being sent to your parents. " he declared, as he smiled at his cousin's surprised expression. " As a thank you gift. " he added. Sora's cheeks became as rosy as they were before, and he grinned widely.

" You're the best ! " he exclaimed. " And I'll be careful from now on. " he added, serious.

" Yeah, you better be ! "

------

Christmas Eve was spent in Roxas' house, with Cloud and Sora's little family. It was only the 7 of them, but it was still great. The other members of their family lived in different regions, even countries for some of them ! So, they barely saw everyone at the same time. Sora remembered having a lot of fun, eating a lot and drinking something strange that made him sick, thanks to Cloud for telling him it was strawberries-flavoured and non-alcoholic. Sora couldn't tell it had some when he drank it. Anyway, he was now in his bedroom, waiting for his mother to call him. Tonight was the day they spent the New Year's Eve with his father's friend. He didn't like the idea of being with strangers, and he hoped the evening would end fast. He looked at his clock. It was late and he still wasn't called. Did they forget him ? He went downstairs and heard his mother talk on the phone as he did such.

" Don't worry, it's okay…Of course I'm not angry at you ! It's not like you did it on purpose ! Then, it's decided : I'll come and pick him up now. See you ! " She hung up and looked at Sora. " Looks like we'll spend the evening at home in the end . Anyway, you turn up at the right moment ! I'll be out for a minute, could you stay downstairs ? "

" Heh ? Isn't dad here ? " the brunette asked, cocking his head on the side.

" The poor boy had to run to the supermarket to buy some food, since the meal got canceled. Well, I have to pick their son up so he won't be alone tonight ! Be a good boy ! " she said, patting his head. Then, she took her coat from the doorway's hanger and went out, leaving the teen alone. He sighed and went in the living room. He searched for a book he had been reading for a while in the bookcase, and took it out. He fell on the sofa, searching for a comfortable position and began to read. He yawned and looked at the clock. " _It's only been 5 minutes since she left._ " he thought. " Aah, I'm bored !! " he suddenly yelded, tossing the book on the coffee table in front of the sofa. He strenched his arms and lied down, looking at the ceiling. " _White. It's plaiiiiin white._ " he thought. " _I wonder who decided this colour would be called 'white'. Why this name anyway ?_ " He thought for a moment and fell asleep, bored of his own thoughts. It felt so nice, sleeping there with nothing to bother you, no sound except the clock's. He soon didn't hear anything at all, for he was in a deep sleep. " _Must be because of those sleepless nights…_ " he thought in his dream. In it, someone was standing in front of him, and kissing his forehead. He almost thought someone was actually kissing him in reality. Then, the person, whose face he couldn't see, placed a hand on his mouth. Soon after, that same person pinched his nose, so that he could not breath. " _I can't breathe…_ " he thought. " _…….Wait, I **really** can't breathe !!!!!_ " His eyes snaped open as he quickly sat up, breathing heavily.

" What the.. !! " he began, looking around him. He saw his mother standing in front of him, her hands on her hips.

" Awake now, 'Sleeping Beauty' ? Man, it's been a long time since I had to use this to wake you up ! " she said, a frown on her face. " Anyway, he's here. " she said, pointing at a boy who was standing behind the sofa. Sora turned back, his eyes widening at the view.

" Eh ? R-Riku ?? " He stoop up suddenly, almost falling in the process because of his still groggy body.

" Hi ! " the silver-haired teen said, waving.

" You know each other ? " Misaki asked, surprised. " Oh, I see ! So, he is the Riku you always talk about ! " she added, smiling at Riku. " It's a pleasure to meet you ! " she said, as she patted his head. She paused and patted him again. " Your hair is so silky ! I'm jealous !! " she exclaimed, now ruffling the teen's hair.

" Mom, stop that ! You're embarassing him ! " Sora came to Riku's rescue, pulling him out of his mother's reach. " See, his hair is full of knots now ! " he added, running his fingers in Riku's hair to untangle them. The other teen laughed, asking the two to stop messing with his hair. They heard someone enter the house, a loud noise and then someone swear. " Dad's home ! " Sora said, running to the entrance. His father was on the ground, so was the food he just bought.

" I knew we shouldn't have kept that stupid step ! " Hiro said as he kicked said step. Sora bent down and helped him gather everything. " Thanks, Sora. " he added, sighing. Riku joined him soon. " Didn't remember we had two sons. This one looks better. " Sora's father said, pointing at Riku.

" Hey, how dare you say that ? " the brunette said, pouting. " I'll never forgive you ! " he added, sticking his tongue out at him.

" Yeah, yeah, I know. Here. " Hiro replied, handing a lemon-flavoured lollipop to Sora. He blinked a few times, then snatched it from him.

" I'll let it go, but only for this time ! " the blue-eyed boy said.

" Don't eat it now. We'll be having dinner soon. " Misaki said. Sora nodded and put the candy in his pocket. " Why don't you show Riku to his…I mean your room ? "

" Sure ! " Sora replied, pulling Riku behind him. The brunette's room wasn't that big, but not tiny either. His bed was placed against the wall at the end of the room, next to a window. On the right was his desk, and on the left was a bookcase. There was also a little sofa before a TV. Riku took a quick look at the room before his attention went back to his friend.

" This is my room ! " the blue-eyed teen said playfully. " Erm…it isn't that interesting actually.. " he added, looking at his feet.

" No, no, it looks really nice ! " Riku answered, shaking his head. His own room was different from Sora's, but he still felt at ease. Sora's room was colorful, the walls were painted in yellow and orange shade, making it really warm. There also were slight touches of redish colors at some parts. If the brunette had described his bedroom to Riku, the green-eyed teen would have thought it was quite eccentric. But the colours were soft, so it looked really nice.

" Okay, so you'll take my bed ! " Sora said, grinning.

" What ? But where will you sleep then ? " Riku asked, arching an eyebrow.

" You'll sleep there also ! " Misaki suddenly said, standing at the doorframe. " Your bed is big enough for two persons, you know. Riku doesn't have the flu ! " she added, her eyes narrowing.

" That's not what I meant… " Sora replied. " I guessed it'd be…well.. maybe Riku would prefer to sleep alone.. " the teen said, looking at his feet. Riku was doing the same. Misaki had an amused look and giggled.

" Aw, come on ! " she exclaimed, slowly turning back to go downstairs. " It's not like you'll be sleeping that much anyway. And dinner's ready ! " Sora suddenly blushed at his mother's words. She never thought before she said something, and he knew she didn't mean anything bad. But still…Riku looked at him and laughed.

" You're not as innocent as you look ! " he teased, as he went out of the room. Sora gasped and, when he regained his cool, went downstairs too. He sat beside his mother, and was in front of Riku now. He felt his cheeks blushing slightly when he saw him smirking. But it didn't last, as his attention got caught by something else.

" Okay, the game begins now ! " the woman said cheerfully. " It'll be exciting this year !! " she added, clapping her hands only once and smiling. Riku looked puzzled and looked at Sora.

" This year… " Hiro continued, " we're not competing against Sora alone, this will be fun ! Alright, so I chose Riku as my partner ! We'll be the 'boys' team . "

" And I had no other choice but to take Sora in my team ! We'll be the 'girls' team ! "

" What did you mean by that ?! " Sora exclaimed, turning his face to look at his mother. A cute pout appeared on his face. It wasn't meant to be cute, but his mother couldn't resist this angry expression of his. This time though, she ignored it and kept explaining Riku what was the game about.

" First, we start with this ! The one who eat the most wins ! " she said, pointing at a plate full of red things. Yeah 'things'. Their shape was weird and one couldn't figure out what it was made of. " Those are called 'devilish pills' because once you eat them, you turn into a devil ! They are a creation of one of my ancestors. " Misaki said, a proud look on her face. " Honey loves them, right ? "

" Of course ! " Sora's father answered. Riku looked at him, then at Sora who had this disgusted expression on his face.

" I'll pass. " the brunette said.

" Oh no, you won't ! " his mother replied. " You have to eat one, at least ! "

" One's already too much than I can take. " he firmly said, crossing his arms to his chest. Riku was now more and more intruiged by those…devilish pills, was it ?

" It can't be that bad, can it ? " the silver-haired teen asked. The trio looked at him with strange expressions. Anyway, Misaki took one, so did Hiro. Sora awkwardly took one too, and Riku followed. He watched the man eat one, his facial expression not changing a bit. He even took another one. Then, his attention turned to Sora's mother. She ate it, but he could see her tense up a bit as she swallowed. Finally, Sora's turn came as everyone looked at him. He heaved a sigh, already knowing how this would end. To make it worse, those 'pills' were too big to be swallowed without chewing them first. The brunette closed his eyes, took a deep breath and ate one. His face became as red as a tomato and he flew out of the room, coughing as tears rolled down his cheeks. Now, the other teen was really afraid of what was currently in his hand. He understood the use of " devilish " in its name. Riku could tell his friend's parents were looking at him, and he was right. Unconsciously imitating Sora, he took a deep breath, closed his eyes and ate. At first, the taste was sweet, then much more salty. " _Nothing bad…_ " the teen thought. And it suddenly tasted spicy, a little spicy in the beginning but soon enough, Riku's mouth was burning as if it was on fire. Still, he could take it, not as easily as Hiro but he could. Once he swallowed, he heaved a sigh, hoping it would stop the burning feeling, as Sora came back. The brunette gave Riku an impressed look.

" You actually ate **that** ?! " he exclaimed, his eyes widening.

" It's 2 to 1 then ! " the other teen's father cheerfully said, pating the silver-haired boy's back.

" Yeah, rejoice before we beat you two. Right, son ? " Misaki asked.

" As if ! " her husband replied. After the little event, the diner was calm. It wasn't that special since Misaki was short on time, but still delicious.

" Well, isn't it nicer to spend the evening with us ? " she asked Riku. " Your mother did not ask me to take you to our house because she didn't think you're old enough to stay alone at home. She thought you would be bored, that's all. " she said, grinning.

" You didn't want to come ? " Sora asked his friend, who said nothing but just looked embarrassed. The brown-haired boy smiled. " I understand, you know ! I didn't want to go to your house either. " he bluntly said, and felt something hit him. Was it bread that just fell in his plate ?

" Sora, don't say such rude things ! " his mother told him, raising her voice a little. " His parents kindly asked us for dinner and that is all you have to say ?! "

" Now, it's okay. " Hiro calmed her. " And don't throw food at people, you're not a child anymore…I guess ? " he added, deep in thought. Sora laughed, soon followed by his parents. Riku was stunned and it caught Misaki's attention.

" Something wrong ? " she asked him, tilting her head to the side.

" N..no, I'm alright ! " he quickly answered, waving his hands before him. They were now finished eating and the clock rang. It was already midnight. Sora helped his mother to take the dishes to the kitchen, and they came back with a bottle and glasses.

" Here comes the finishing blow ! " Hiro exclaimed. Another game ?

" Alright. This time, it's not a matter of amount but speed ! " Misaki explained. " The first one who finishes his glass is the winner. I'm counting on you, buddy ! " she placed a hand on his son's shoulder, who looked at her and smiled. Once everyone's glasses were full, they prepared themselves.

" I'll count to three and then, start to drink like there was no tomorrow ! " the mother said, looking serious. " One, two…three !!! " They all grabbed their glass quickly and drank. Sora was the first one to finish, followed by his mother, then by Hiro and Riku…who didn't drink half of it since he was coughing like mad.

" What's…this ?! " he exclaimed, still coughing. He was sure the drink had alcohol..and a lot, seeing his current state.

" Awww, poor boy. But you still have to finish it ! " the mother said, an evil smile on her lips.

" Don't ask what could happen if you don't. " Sora added, seeing Riku was about to say something. And he assumed it was what the green-eyed boy wanted to ask since he didn't talk in the end. The silver-haired teen hold his breath as he finished his drink. It seemed like it never emptied, but the evil glass was finally empty and Riku was glad.

" Okay, now's the time boys ! " Misaki cheerfully said. " Happy new year ! " Sora and his parents said. Riku opened his mouth but he was surprised to find himself suddenly falling on the floor. How could he fall when he was sitting ? He didn't know himself, but it just happened.

" Riku ! " Sora exclaimed as he got up to help his friend, but Hiro was closer and, as a result, faster.

" One can't stand spicy food and the other can't take alcohol. You two are hopeless. " he said as he helped the poor boy to sit. " You can prepare yourself for the next time ! " He burst out laughing.

They ate ice cream as a dessert and Riku thought it would help him feel better, but it didn't. Anyway, it was late and everyone went in their room.

" That was great ! " Sora exclaimed, laughing a little. He didn't look that much sleepy. That was the total opposite : he was still full of energy.

" I don't understand you. " his friend said. " The drink doesn't seem to affect you at all. " Riku's knees felt like jelly and he could have fallen anytime.

" It does ! " the brunette replied. " See ? I'm not tired at all ! I could bounce in the entire house for hours ! You don't look so well. Let's go for a walk ! You'll feel better ! " Riku only understood the last part since his friend was speaking too fast. He felt the brunette grabbing his wrist and pulling him but his legs were too weak. Riku tried not to lose his balance but to no avail, and he fell on Sora, making quite a ruckus.

" Woa, you scared me ! Are you okay ? " the blue-eyed teen asked him. No reply. " Hey, you're heavy, you know ! Get up ! " he added, seeing Riku was not moving. He heaved a sigh : the green-eyed teen was asleep and wouldn't wake up. All of a sudden, the brunette noticed his friend's breath against his neck. It was warm, and so was his body. " _It feels nice…_ " Sora thought. " _…Eh ? What am I thinking ?!_ "

" Rikuuuuu, wake uuup !! " the brunette exclaimed as he tried to move the asleep teen. He was suddenly blinded by a flash and looked at his doorframe. He saw his mother standing there, a camera in her hands.

" Honey ! Our son's doing naughty things ! You should come ! " she said cheerfully. Now, that was more than embarrassing. Sora tried harder but it was no use, Riku was too heavy.

" My, my ! " his father exclaimed. He entered the room and carried the asleep boy to the bed. " You better go to sleep too, son. It's getting really late. " he added as he held out a hand to help the teen to get up.

" I'm not sleepy. I'll go in the garden for a while. " Sora replied, now standing and heading towards the door.

" No way, mister. " Misaki said, grabbing him by the collar. " First, it's too cold out there. Secondly, it's really late. Juste read a book if you want to kill some time. " That being said, she followed her husband, closing the door as she went out of the bedroom. Sora stuck his tongue out and fell on his little sofa. He looked at Riku who was sleeping peacefully, his mouth slightly opened and breathing slowly. The brunette got up, took the other boy's shoes off and covered him with blankets before he went back on the sofa.Without noticing it, he was looking at his friend again. His neck was still warm from Riku's breath against it earlier. Sora took a book and assumed this feeling was no big deal, though he was blushing a little.


	6. Chapter 6

Disclaimer: I own nothing but the story!

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" Morning sweetie ! " came Misaki's greeting as Riku entered the dining room. " Did you sleep well ? "

" Yes, thanks. " he replied, yawning. He looked around and saw no one else.

" If you're looking for Sora, he's out with his father for their daily stroll. " she said. She was washing the dishes up. Riku offered to help and dried them, though the brunette told him it wasn't necessary. Once they were finished, the green-eyed boy followed the woman to the garden.

" So, this is the garden ! I don't think you already saw it. " she said, a bright smile on her face. The garden was big, with many leaveless trees. Around it was a wooden fence so they could have some privacy. " Our former house didn't have a garden. " Misaki suddenly said. " Sora was kind of depressed because of this. So, my husband promised him to go for a walk with him everyday. It made him happy but it didn't last long. So, we moved out. Once we came here, Sora became pretty cheerful. He has always liked to be outside. " Riku looked at her : she had a soft expression and was smiling.

" The first time you called him at the dorms, I found him outside. I think he was looking at the snow fall. " the teen said. Sora's mother giggled.

" Yeah, he loves snow ! It's so childish ! " she added, winking at Riku. " But it's good to know. " She looked a bit sad all of a sudden.

" Good to know ? " the boy repeated. She sighed.

" Roxas probably told you about it, so I think it's okay to tell you. " she whispered, more to herself than to Riku. " A few months ago, around the middle of October, Cloud brought Sora back home. I knew at that very moment that something happened, since Sora used to walk home. He didn't even greet me that day and ran upstairs. We tried to talk to him but he never replied. He was spending his days in his room, not even going out with his father. We were really worried. We asked Cloud if he knew anything about what happened that day, but he couldn't tell either. When our son finally came to us, he told us he wanted to go to Roxas' school. It's far from here and we panicked at the idea, but he said it would be alright, that he needed to go somewhere far from his previous school. And one week later, he came to your college, thanks to Cloud. " she said, frowning when she mentioned the name.

" You sound like you're holding a grudge against him. " Riku told her.

" To tell you the truth, I was mad at him in the beginning, letting Sora go far away from us. I called him and told him everything that was on my mind. All he said was that Sora wasn't a child anymore and that he knew better that anyone else what was the best for him. " She closed her eyes as her gentle expression came back. " I'm glad he was frank. Sora looked really happy when I picked him up at Could's house, and so did he yesterday. I think it's because he found dear friends like you. " She turned to face Riku and hugged him. He panicked, not knowing what to do. But he felt her grip tighten and heard her sob lightly. " It hurts to say it, but thanks. " The teen hugged back, rubbing her back in a comforting gesture.

" Why would it hurt ? " he asked.

" Because I'm useless ! I couldn't help him ! " she whispered, now crying.

" You are not. " Riku replied. " You helped him in your own way. " She broke the embrace and looked at him. Tears were rolling down her cheeks.

" Really ? " she asked, wipping them. Riku nodded.

" Yes. Seeing you worry so much made him move forward. I'm sure of this, because he can't stand seeing people he cares about suffer. " He had a soft expression that made her tears stop. She smiled at him and added :

" I know that one day, he'll tell you verything. " She suddenly seemed to realize something. " Oh my gosh ! Are you hungry ? I totally forgot to prepare something for you ! " she exclaimed as she ran inside the house, soon followed by Riku.

" It's okay, don't worry ! I can wait until lunch ! " She stopped and turned back.

" Lunch ? But we already had it two hours ago… Waiting for dinner would be too long, don't you think ? " she asked, pointing to the clock. It was 15 o'clock. Riku's stomach rumbled as a reply, which made them both laugh a lot. The silver haired-teen was eating when Sora and Hiro came back from their walk.

" That was sooo nice ! " the brunette cheerfully said. " I missed it so much ! Oh, Riku ! You're awake ! " he added, smiling. Hiro quickly greeted him before going in the kitchen where his wife was. He noticed her reddish eyes.

" What happened ? " he asked, putting his hands on her cheeks and gently rubbing under her eyes with his thumbs. " Did you cry ? "

" I had to fight against onions. " she said.

" Ha ha, I see. And I bet you won the battle ? "

" Of course ! " she replied, gesturing the victory sign. Someone rang the doorbell and she ran to the door.

" Welcome ! Er… " she said as she opened it. A boy was standing before her, a boy she had never seen. He looked calm and had blue hair.

" Zexion. " said boy replied. " I am Riku's brother. "

" Come in, come in ! " Misaki said, smiling. The boy entered, only saying " thanks ". She led him to the dining room where Riku just finished his meal.

" That was delicious ! " he exclaimed as he arose to his feet to take the dishes to the kitchen. " Oh, you're already here bro ? " he added when he saw his brother standing beside Misaki.

" Yeah, I'm also happy to see you again. " Zexion coldly replied, frowning.

" You're his brother ?! " Sora almost yelled. " I didn't know ! " he added, frowning as he looked at Riku. The silver-haired teen decided to ignore the glare he was getting.

" It's not that I didn't want to see you. It's just that I..well… " he rambled.

" Awww, that's sweet ! Isn't it, honey ? " Misaki asked Hiro. " He doesn't want to leave us, it seems ! " She went towards Riku and hugged him. Once again, that was unexpected and he panicked. Zexion laughed a bit at the view. " Misaki's super hug of doom attack ! " she exclaimed as she ruffled Riku's hair.

" Mom ! You're doing that again ! " Sora said, pouting. Seeing her looking at him with an evil grin, the brunette ran away, yelling as his mother ran after him. Hiro sighed.

" Excuse her. " he said to Zexion. Then, he turned to Riku. " I hope she didn't bother you earlier. She's worried and wanted to talk to you about it. " he said, scratching the back of his neck.

" How did you know ? " Riku asked, looking surprised.

" We talked about it yesterday. " he said, looking a bit worried. " I hope he'll be alright. " he whispered, but the brothers could hear him.

" He's not alone. " Zexion simply said.

" That's right. " the green-eye teen added, smiling.

" Thanks. " Hiro replied, smiling back.

" Well, I guess we should get going then. " the blue-haired boy said. " Let's try to say goodbye to them. " he added, motioning to Sora and his mother. It seemed they saw him, as they came back in the dining room.

" Feel free to come back whenever you want, onion boy ! " Misaki said, a bright smile on her face. Sora nodded in agreement.

" _Onion boy ?_ " Riku thought. " Thanks. " he replied. " You can come to my place when you want to, too, Sora. "

" I'll keep that in mind ! " the brunette said, excited at the idea.

" You can come with us today. " Zexion said. " If your parents are okay with it, that is. "

" Eh ? Really ? " the blue-eyed teen asked, looking at his mother.

" Only if you promise me you'll be good boy. " Misaki said, winking at her son.

" Promise ! " the brunette cheerfully said.

------

" Balcony !!! " Sora exclaimed. He was in Riku's bedroom. It was mainly white. The only colours used were dark blue for his sheets and curtains, and black for the furniture. French windows were in the end of the room, revealing a balcony.

" I'd love to have a balcony too ! " the brunette said. " Oh well, I have a great garden at least ! " he added, smiling.

" One can't have everything." Riku said, looking at the over-excited brunette. " There's nothing fun to do here, so let's go somewhere else. " Seeing his friend's perplexed expression, he added : " You'll see. " and grinned. They went on the second floor, which only had one room. Once in front of the door, the silver-haired teen opened it slowly as Sora tried to look inside. It was a big room with a sofa in its center, and a huge one at that ! In front of it was a large TV. The brunette's eyes sparkled.

" What about watching a movie ? " Riku asked him.

" Sure ! " Sora replied, grinning. The green-eyed boy searched among the dvds and took one.

" I still haven't seen this one. Let's watch this ! " he said.

" Roxas told me it was great ! " the brunette replied. They sat on the sofa and watched the movie. Later, Sora wondered what was so great about it. It was supposed to be scary and exciting… Fortunately, it was almost finished. Suddenly, Sora watched carefully. The hero was with his girlfriend, who had her face turned towards him, her eyes closed. " _Just like Kairi !_ " he thought, not looking at the TV screen anymore. " _I still wonder what she wanted…_ " He was in deep thought and taping his chin with a finger. He snaped out of it all of a sudden. " I know ! " he exclaimed aloud. Startled, Riku looked at him.

" What is the mat…ter ? " he said. Sora was imitating Kairi's actions and it left Riku speechless. " Wha-what… " he stuttered. The brunette opened his eyes and saw the huge blush on his friend's face.

" What wrong, Riku ? " he innocently asked.

" That's my line ! " the other exclaimed. " What do you think you are doing ?! "

" I just wanted to know what it meant when one do this. " He blinked, surprised by the other's reaction.

" You… don't know ? " he asked. Seeing the boy's confused expression, he pointed to the TV screen. " Well, that's what it means. " Sora took a look at the TV : now, the couple was kissing. He realized what Kairi was waiting for…and also what Riku thought he wanted.

" I-I-that's not.. Well.. " he mumbled, hiding his face in his hands. He heaved a sigh and tried to calm down. " I didn't want you to…well, you know. Kairi did this the other day, when we went to the park. I didn't know what to do since I couldn't figure out what doing this meant… " Riku blinked a few times.

" What did you do then ? " the green-eyed teen asked, arching an eyebrow.

" I asked her what was wrong. " Sora simply replied. There was a silence and then, the other boy burst out laughing.

" You're such a heart breaker ! " he said, still laughing.

" I'm not ! " his friend exclaimed, pouting.

" You're too much ! " the other added. Riku calmed down and talked to Sora, seriously this time. " Still, be careful when you're around her, especially since she's going out with Laexus. "

" Laexus ? Who's that ? " the brunette asked, tilting his head to the side.

" Well, he's as big and hard as a rock, not really nice and very possessive… I think. " the green-eyed teen replied. His friend gulped, imagining the guy.

" Bu-but she's always coming to me. Okay, I'll admit I called her once but the other times, it's her who searched for me ! " the blue-eyed boy anxiously said. Maybe that Laexus guy already saw him with Kairi, and he'd send him to the hospital before he could even think of it ! " _Why me ?_ " Sora thought, hiding his face in his hands again.

" Don't worry. " Riku said. The brunette looked up at him. " I'll protect you if you need me to. " the silver-haired teen added, a gentle smile on his face.

" Thanks but… " the blue-eyed boy looked at his feet before continuing. " …but I don't want you to be involved nor do I want you to be hurt because of me. " Silence filled the room for a short time, before Sora talked again. " Now that I think about it, you don't seem to like Kairi that much. And the others either, Axel and Roxas, that is. "

" She was hitting on me when school started. " Riku answered, slightly laughing. " She quickly understood it was useless to try. " Seeing his friend's curious look, he added : " I clearly told her that I didn't like her **at all**. " The other boy noticed how he emphazed the last words.

" I feel kind of sorry for her…"

" Hm, you're too kind. " Riku just said.

------

Soon, it was time for Sora to go back home. He waved at Zexion and Riku as their car went away.

" I'm home ! " the teen said, as he closed the front door. He was about to go upstairs when his mother called him.

" Go in the living room. Someone's waiting for you ! " Intrigued, the teen went in said room. Someone was sitting on the couch. It was a boy with brown hair almost falling around his shoulders. He was wearing black clothes. When he heard Sora enter the room, the boy turned his face to look at him. When he recognized the teen, he immediately arose to his feet and walked towards him.

" Leon !" Sora exclaimed, happyness filling him. " You're back ! It's been so long since I last saw you ! " A few houses were separating Sora's and Leon's places, and they had been friends for a long time ; in fact, since Misaki and Hiro moved out. The brunette man – he was older than Sora by 5 or 6 years, which made him a 25 years old boy – was learning fencing in a town nearby, and he had to go to far away towns for some matches. He was even participating in contests from time to time. The last time Sora saw him was two weeks after the begin of the school year, and Leon had to leave because of a championship.

" How did your contest go ? Did you win it ? " the teen asked.

" No, unfortunately. But I still managed to get second place. " he said, with his usual emotionless voice.

" That's still great ! Congrats !" the blue-eyed boy exclaimed, grinning.

" Hn, thanks. " Leon thanked him smiling back.

" Let's go in my room." Sora said, glancing behind him. " We'll have more privacy. " he added, emphazing the last word.

" I wasn't listening ! " they heard Misaki complain. Sora giggled and went upstairs, followed by the other brunette. The younger boy closed the door behind him, making sure they were alone. He slightly jumped when he felt Leon's arms wrapping around his waist from behind.

" Leon ? " he asked, looking up at his friend. The young man rested his chin on Sora's head and sighed.

" I missed you." he said. The blue-eyed teen laughed a little.

" You say weird things. " he replied. " It's nice to see you again. " He felt his friend's arms tighten the hug and he felt a bit uncomfortable. " _Okay, calm down, Sora !_ " the teen thought. " _Leon's a friend. That's it : a friend. It's just his way of showing his affection. He has always been like that, so I shouldn't be embarassed._ " Sora blinked a few times. " _'Embarrassed' ?_ " He suddenly came back to reality when he felt lips pressing against his neck.

" Huh ? What ? Er… " the blue-eyed boy mumbled as he tried to look at Leon. The grip weakened and he could face his friend. Sora's cheeks were burning.

" Don't look so surprised ! " the other said. " I was just teasing you. " The tall brunette smiled and patted his friend's head. " It's getting late. I'll head back home. We'll see each other again soon. " He walked towards the door but stopped right in front of it.

" You're not… depressed anymore, are you ? " he asked, not looking at his friend.

" I'm okay, so don't worry. " the younger brunette said. Then, Leon left. " What was that just now ? " the teen whispered, still feeling his friend's lips on his neck. No need to say that Sora didn't sleep at all that night. The end of the holiday was spent doing homeworks those evil teachers dared to give to the pupils, even for Christmas break ! And soon, without realizing it, they all had to go to school again. But what Sora did not know at that time was that this new year had many surprises awaiting him…and not only good ones.


	7. Chapter 7

**Disclaimer: **Kingdom Hearts' characters are not mine.

A/N: Hi hi! XD I'm glad to see people are actually reading this! (I got another review! Thanks a loooooooooot!!!) Anyway, this story is really slow. Well, it was! Starting now, more and more interesting things will happen! Your patience will be rewarded! Enjoy!

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The first days of January were pretty cold, and the students were glad to be in their heated rooms. Roxas and Sora were back in their dorm.

" Woa, it's so hot in there ! " the blonde exclaimed. " Do you mind if I open the window a few minutes ? "

" Not at all." Sora replied. They put their bags next to the desk and took their coats off. When Roxas turned back after he made fresh air enter the room, he looked at his cousin curiously.

" Don't you take your scarf off ? " he asked.

" It's not that hot in here, you know. "

" Hello, my little sunshine ! " someone said behind the brunette, who sighed.

" Really, " the blue-eyed teen said, " You guys never knock before you enter someone's room, do you ? "

" Aren't you hot with that scarf ? " Axel asked, ignoring Sora's comment. " You should open the window a bit. "

" See ! I told you ! " Roxas told the brunette. The blonde teen blinked a few times and clicked his fingers. " I know ! You're hiding something, aren't you ? " Sora looked surprised and blushed slightly.

" Of-of course not ! Well, I-I'll go outside for a while. I bet you two want to be alone, right ? " the brunette replied, as he walked towards the door.

" Axel, stop him ! " In no time, the red head caught the poor boy and managed to imobilize him.

" Let go ! " Sora snarled, as Roxas came closer. " Please ! " the brunette insisted, shaking his head in an attempt to stop the blonde teen from taking his scarf, but it was totally useless. At first, Roxas saw nothing that could embarrass his cousin so much. And then…

" Oh man ! " the blonde boy suddenly exclaimed. " Who did this ? " he asked, smirking.

" Hey, it looks recent too ! " Axel added. He was standing next to Roxas. When did he let go of Sora ? The brunette didn't know, since he was too busy trying not to look at them.

" What does look recent ? " This voice could only be this boy's !

" Ri-Riku ! You were here ? " Sora exclaimed, panicking. Even Riku saw **it **!

" Is that a bruise on your neck ? " the silver-haired boy asked. The two lovers burst out laughing and he didn't understand why. So, he glanced at the brunette, whose face had turned a deep red.

" You're as dense as Sora ! " Roxas said, a hand on his painful abdomen because of the laughter. " It's a hickey, silly ! "

" Hickey ? But who… " Riku began. " _It can't be Kairi's doing since we just came back here. And I don't think she knows where he lives._ " he thought. " _But who could have done this then ?_ " Strangely, it bugged him and he didn't know why. Anyway, Sora stayed silent and kept looking at the ground. He wanted to run away but he couldn't since Roxas still had his scarf in his hand. And there was no way he'd go out without it !

" Come on, Sora ! Now that we know about it, spill everything ! " Roxas said.

" You'll make fun of me if I tell you who did this. " the brunette almost whispered.

" I won't. " the blonde promised, raising his right hand. This showed his sincerity.

" Okay, but first, close the door. " Since Riku was the closest, he shut it and quickly joined his friends. He'll know the culprit's name ! Sora heaved a sigh and slowly looked at them. " The day I went to Riku's house, Leon came in the evening. "

" Leon ? He's back ?! " Roxas added. " It's been such a long time since I last saw him ! How's he doing ? " the blonde teen paused. " Wait, what's the relation between the hickey and… " His eyes widened. " Could it be… "

" Yeah. " Sora replied, nodding. " He did it. " Now, the three boys had surprised looks. " I didn't see this immediately, but only in the morning. Leon has always acted funny around me but that was the strangest thing he did to me. Oh well, I suppose he only wanted to tease me, right ? " He tried to smile, but that was really hard with the heavy looks he was getting.

" Are you stupid or **really** stupid ? " Roxas said. " You never noticed he had feelings for you, even though he sent you many signals ? This one was pretty obvious ! " He felt so sorry for Leon.

" What ? But… " Sora was totally confused by that revelation… well, it was one for him. " He never showed it. "

" He hugged you, he kept looking at you longingly, he touched you whenever he got the chance to, and he even left a mark on your body. Isn't it more than enough ? Does he have to sleep with you to make you understand ? " the blonde bluntly said. He coudn't help but be angry at his cousin. He was usually sharp but when it came to love, he could be so dense ! How could Leon be so patient ?

" Hey, don't yell at me, now ! " Sora replied, looking at the ground once again. " I thought he was just teasing me. I never knew he wasn't straight… nor did I think someone could like me in that way. " The brunette was as red as a tomato and his voice quivered a bit as he continued to speak. " To girls, I've always been a nice friend, whom they could talk about all their problems. And guys thought I was like a child with that stupid 'cute' face of mine. No wonder that bastard tried-" Sora suddenly silenced himself, bitting his tongue to make sure he wouldn't say anything else. He felt tears coming and his throat hurt badly. He flew out of the room, slamming the door behind him. Riku stepped forward to run after him but was stopped by Roxas.

" You know he needs to be alone in times like this. " the blonde told him.

" Hey, that was harsh to call that Leon guy a bastard. You sure he's got nothing against homosexuals ? " Axel said, his eyes narrowing.

" He wasn't talking about him. " his lover replied.

" Then who ? " the red head asked. Riku thought for a moment and blinked a few times.

" I think it's related to the reason why he came here. " he stated.

" Yeah, probably. " Roxas answered. " I wish he continued to speak. This way, it would have been clear. And he needs to talk to someone before it drives him crazy. "

" Does this kid have problems ? " Axel cocked his head as he asked. The blonde teen stayed silent as he walked towards his cousin's bed and took something from under his pillow : a book. Riku and Axel looked at it, confused.

" Half of the pages have already been torn. " the blonde whispered. " Since that incident, Sora carries this book with him everywhere. One night, I was awoken by sounds : he was struggling in his sleep. He woke up all of a sudden, as if he just had a nightmare, and I saw him take this book, rip a page and write things on it. Then, I saw him tearing it and he went out of the room. I suppose that's the only way he found to calm down, and that it's also related to that incident. " Roxas concluded.

" I didn't see that one coming. " Axel said. " He's always smilin and laughing. " Then, silence filled the room.

------

Meanwhile, Sora was outside, panting and coughing a bit because of his dry throat. Tears were rolling down his cheeks as he sobbed, not being able to calm down.

" Damn it . " he hissed, angry at himself for being this weak and stupid. Of course it was obvious Leon liked him and wanted to be more than just friends, but Sora simply ran away, pretending he didn't understand. Why did he lie to himself all this time ? More than ever, he wanted to talk to someone about all those things that were on his mind. He looked behind him, hoping one of his friends had followed him but there was just Kairi… Kairi ?!

" _Crap !_ " Sora thought as he looked the other way to avoid her, but it failed since she noticed him. Well, that wasn't so hard because it was only him outside at the moment. Kairi ran to him and put a hand on his shoulder, noticing the boy wipping the tears quickly.

" Is something wrong, Sora ? " she asked, a worried look on her face, and it grew bigger as she noticed the teen's hickey. " _Am I too late ? Is he already taken ?_ " she thought, mentally panicking. The brunette did not reply and she asked him if he wanted to come in her room to talk about his problems. Selphie wouldn't be there for a while, so they had all the time they needed. The girl's room was arranged just like Sora's, and there were plenty posters plastered on the walls, mainly of boys bands. Those still existed ? Kairi sat on her bed and patted on it as a sign for the blue-eyed boy to sit beside her.

" So, what's going on ? " she asked, looking worried. " _Man, don't tell me he's interrested in another girl, please !_ " she thought. The brunette was staring at his hands that rested on his lap and sighed.

" Many things, actually. " he responded.

" _I'll have to push him a little if I want him to give more details._" the girl thought. " Oh, I see. " she said. " Well, if you want to talk about it… " she trailed off. Kairi glanced from the corner of her eye and saw him scratching the back of his head. It was hard to make him speak, so she tried something else. " Oh, is that a hickey ? " the red-haired girl asked. " _Bingo ! He's blushing ! I'm sure he'll spill it in no time._ " she thought and mentally laughed.

" This is… well… " Sora finally spoke. " A friend did this, a friend who's in love with me, it seems… "

" _I've got a bad feeling about this._ " the girl thought.

" No. I'm sure he is. "

'He' ?

" I just didn't want to admit it and ignored it, but I just can't figure out why I reacted like this… "

Chance !

" Maybe you don't share his feelings." Kairi bluntly replied. Sora seemed to think for a bit, then answered.

" I do like him, but not in that way. " the teen said, shaking his head. " But… "

" _This is when I take actions !_ " Kairi thought. " You're not sure if you like girls ? Is that what you were going to say ? " she asked.

" I don't know. " the blue-eyed boy replied, shaking his head, his eyes closed. He quickly opened them when he felt Kairi's cold hands cupping his face and making him face her.

" Let me help you, then. " she said, her face coming closer and closer to Sora's.

" Wha- " he began to say but was silenced as the girl kissed him. At first, it was just a small peck on his lips but it became more deep soon after. He felt her tongue rubbing against his lips, asking for permission to deepen the kiss more.

" _Woa, a face looks kind of scary when you see it closely._ " Sora thought. His eyes were widely opened, but Kairi couldn't tell. Suddenly, the boy felt her biting his uper lip slightly and he unconsciously opened his mouth, letting her explore his mouth. But he didn't really pay attention to this as he was pinned on the bed. Wasn't it the boy who usually did this ? Oh well, it had to end and **now **! It looked like Kairi heard Sora's thoughts. She broke the kiss and sat up, still sitting on Sora… to take her shirt off. " _That's going too far !!!_ " the brunette yelled in his head. He couldn't say a single word. Was he scared ? Not really, but there was something he didn't like about this, and he didn't know what exactly. He felt lips locked on his again and also hands sneaking their way under his shirt. " _Cold, cold, cold !_ " Sora thought. " _Okay, maybe I should try to push her slightly to make her sto-_" His thoughts were interrupted by a strange sound that only lasted for a few seconds. He wasn't sure to know what it was and waited until he heard it again.

" Hmmm-" It came from Kairi. Did she just…moan ? " _Ugh ! No !!_ " Sora thought as he shifted their positions : Kairi was now under him. She giggled and, her eyes still closed, she waited for him to kiss her…Touch her ?...Anything ? When she opened the eyes, she was alone in the room…

------

The next days, people were only talking about Sora and Kairi's affairs, some boys saying that he was a fool to reject her, others thinking it was wise, seeing Laexus was her 'official' boyfriend. Girls – and all of them – thought that the red head deserved it, and they strangely began to have some interest in the brunette. More and more of them came to talk to him, some even gave him their phone numbers and such.

" Another one ? " Xaldin asked Sora. It was lunch and they were at the cafeteria with their friends.

" How many did you get this morning ? " Xigbar questioned.

" Wait, wait, let me guess ! " Marluxia quickly told Sora. " Hmm… 10 ? " Well, at least others found that funny, and maybe they enjoyed it too much.

" Don't exaggerate. " Sora said, sighing. " It's the second one. " He paused. " Why are they coming to me like that ? Did I become rich and nobody cared to tell me ? " He rested his chin in his palm and played with the food with his fork, looking blankly at it.

" You hardly ate anything. " Roxas noticed.

" Not hungry. " his cousin simply replied.

" Are you feeling sick ? Did one of those crazy girls hurt you when they attacked you yesterday ? " Yeah, Sora really was attacked by a bunch of girls who suddenly surrounded him in the school's halls, screaming and waving their arms in every direction. Dodging them was pretty hard.

" I'm okay. 'leaving " the brunette grunted as he arrose to his feet to get rid of his tray and get out of the cafeteria, many looks following every movement he made as he did such.

------

The week ended like it began : bad. And to top it all, the teachers decided they'd burry the kids under tons of homeworks. Everyone was pretty tired, some students fell asleep during lessons while others couldn't do all of their work. Anyway, only two hours were left before Friday's lessons ended, to most of the pupils' relief. Sora was going to his art class with Riku – Roxas decided he'd skip it to spend some time with Axel. The silver-haired teen was following the brunette, who was walking strangely, as if he were drunk.

" Are you okay ? " the green-eyed boy asked. " I didn't want to say it but you look horrible. "

" I'm okay. " the other replied, not looking at his friend. Somehow, it annoyed Riku. He knew the brunette really well now and, as a result, he perfectly knew he was lying to him. Without hesitation, Riku walked towards Sora and pulled his shoulder, so that he would face him. The brunette wobbled in the process and needed some time to regain his balance.

" Just look at yourself ! " the silver-haired boy exclaimed, his voice raising. " You can't even stand properly ! Listen, you'd better go back to your dorm and rest. I'll tell the teacher you're not feeling well – and don't you dare telling me you're okay. " he stated, seeing his friend opened his mouth to say something. Sora looked at the ground and greet his fists. " Let's go. " Riku said as he grabbed the brunette's arm. He made a strange sound. Did Riku hurt him without noticing it ?

" This is bad. " Sora whispered. " I think I'm going- " and he collapsed.

" Woa ! " the other teen yelled, trying to catch the brunette to prevent him from falling. He made him sit and tried to wake him up, but it didn't work. Then, he heard someone run in his direction and looked back. He noticed many people gathered around them and were speaking, giving Sora anxious glances.

" Move, there's nothing to see. " a man ordered. " Unless you want me to kick you until your own mother won't recognize your body. " The crowd parted and only one tall guy was now standing behind the two. " What happened ? Are you alright ? " Xaldin asked.

" He passed out while I was talking to him, and now he won't wake up. " Riku said, panick slowly taking over him.

" Alright, calm down. I'll take him to his room and you will go to the infirmary and ask the doctor to follow you. I think he's still at school. Go now. " the black-haired man told Riku, who ran to told place. When Xaldin carried Sora, he was surprised at how light he was. He noticed his pale face and the brunette's arms that were skinnier than they they already were. The man shook his head and heaved a sigh. " _I believed only girls were diets_ _maniacs…_ " he thought.

" Oh my gosh ! What happened to him ? " Xaldin lifted his head to look at the man talking to him and walking in his direction, a worried expression on his face.

" Don't worry, he just collapsed. " Xaldin reassured him. " Really, if you worry this much every time something happens, you'll end up bald in no time since things like this occur every day. " The man standing before him wasn't that old. He was probably in his 30's, had good looks, amazingly beautiful aquamarine eyes and his messy short hair was brown.

" Are you sure he's okay ? He looks pale… " the other man asked. When he paused, Xaldin felt Sora's body stiffen in his arms. Maybe he was about to wake up, so he had to take him to his room quickly.

" Well, excuse me, I have to go now, Mr Smith. " Then, Xaldin walked fast towards the dorms.


	8. Chapter 8

**Disclaimer : **As usual, Kingdom Heart's characters aren't mine.

**A/N : **Nothing to say, except that you'll finally know the reason of Sora's transfer in Roxas' college ! XD Once again, thanks a lot for your kind reviews !

------

Eyes opening slowly, Sora's vision blurried from the high amount of light entering his small dorm. It was sunny outside and most people left the campus to go in town. The brunette lifted his hand to his eyes to make them adapt themselves to the brightness little by little. He tried to get up but felt hands pushing him to make him lie down. When he could finally see things clearly, he noticed it was Riku's.

" Dunmoveyoustillweak. " he mumbled.

" Er… what ? " Sora asked. The silver-haired boy looked like he just woke up, which was probably right seeing the red marks the sheets' wrinkles made on his cheek and his sleepy eyes.

" He said you shouldn't move too much for a moment. " Roxas said, yawing and stretching in his bed.

" What happened ? I can't remember a thing… " Sora said, looking at both boys.

" You passed out Friday evening while we were going to class. " Riku said.

" Oh. " the brunette whispered. " It must have been the lack of sleep. "

" Lack of sleep my foot ! " the blonde said. " The doctor told Riku you collapsed because you weren't eating properly during the whole week ! " He noticed his cousin's suprised expression. " What ? Did you think we were blind ? Riku and I can't remember the last time we saw you eat something. Be careful, dammit ! "

" I'm sorry… " Sora said, looking at his hands resting on his chest, fingers intertwined. " It's just… " He paused and sighed. " Nevermind. " Something was on the blue-eyed boy's mind, Riku could tell. He turned to look at Roxas, whose body was shaking madly, his teeth and fists greeted. Suddenly, he looked up, giving his relative a scary glare and walked in Sora's bed direction. Riku didn't move an inch, in case the blonde tried to do something he'd regret later, though he knew he wouldn't.

" You know what ? I'm fed up with you, Sora ! " he shouted, still glaring at his cousin who looked square in his eyes. " Why won't you tell others what's bothering you ? Are you a masochist ? Do you like to suffer all alone in your own little world ? Well, let me tell you something ! "

" Roxas, calm- " Riku began.

" You're making others suffer by acting this way ! It truly pains me to see you're hiding things from me because it looks like you don't trust me at all ! "

Following Roxas' burst of anger, they remained silent as Riku looked from the angry teen to the other one who looked quite sad. Then, Sora spoke.

" I think I had a dream where I was asleep. No, it was more like a nightmare. I heard a voice in it, a voice I wished I'd never hear again. Oh, and Xaldin was here too. "

" That's probably when he took you here. He said you moved in your sleep and hurried up to take you to your room, thinking you'd wake up soon. " Riku explained. " He'll be glad to know you're awake. He was worried when we told him you were still sleeping yesterday. "

" You say it like I slept for a long time. " Sora said, smiling.

" You did. " Roxas continued. " You slept from Friday evening until today, which is Sunday. " The brunette said nothing but looked stunned. He almost stayed unconscious for 2 days ! " Anyway, what about that voice you heard ? "

" … " Sora looked at his hands again, thinking. " _I should tell them. It should make me feel better..right ? Right ?_ " He looked at the boys, who nodded as a sign to tell them what he had to say. He took a deep breath and began to explain everything.

" It all began in high school, the first year. It was great there, with all those precious friends I made, especially during art class. We used to talk a lot while drawing. The teacher we had was nice and friendly with us, though he seemed… strange at times. Yeah, really strange… " Sora frowned as he looked at his hands that clenched to the sheets. " We used to hang out a bit with him, drinking coffee or hot chocolate after school. He mostly became good friends with me and we talked a lot about many things, from art to cinema and even music. One day, during lessons, I was trying hard to draw fruits but never managed to do them right, so he explained me. He took my hand in his and drew so I could fully understand. That didn't seem funny since he used to do it with other pupils as well. " The brunette paused for a moment, taking deep breaths and closing his eyes. It was the first time he was telling someone what happened back then and it was really hard for him, as Roxas and Riku could tell. They said nothing and patiently waited for the rest of the story. " And then, I noticed it… his hot breath against my neck, then my ear. I… I looked at him and he seemed to panick for a short moment, and left. Nothing ever happened after that. The rest of the year, and also the next one were casual ones and he returned to 'normal'… until the end of my last year in high school. He'd blow on my neck each time he came to explain things to me, always from behind, unlike the others. My classmates were beginning to give me strange looks and warned me to be careful when I was around him, even telling me to skip his lessons, which I couldn't do unless I wanted to fail my exams. So, I continued to go to class and stopped seeing him – be it with my friends or not – oustide school. During a lesson, he asked us to pose while others would draw the one standing in front of them. The others laughed a lot, making fun of one another's drawings, but I had a bad feeling about this. I knew why that same day. It was my turn to pose but I had no idea which one I should take, so I just stood the way I used to, hands in my pockets. Our teacher liked the idea and wanted me to change some things. He made me turn my chest slightly, putting his hands on my shoulders, then on my waist, and lower. But I moved forward, and yelled at him to never touch me again and ran away. " The brunette's voice quivered as his eyes got teary, but he just couldn't stop talking, feeling his burden becoming less and less heavy. " The year ended and I entered college. I didn't see him anymore, which was a relief : everything was back to usual. The first month was a total succes : my grades were good, people were nice to me and Leon was finally back and told me everything about his trip. " Riku twitched at the mention of the tall burnette's name without knowing why. " And that bastard had to ruin everything ! " Now, many tears were falling from Sora's eyes as he sobbed. " I was walking home when I saw a car stopping a few steps away from me, and I immediately recognized it as my former teacher's. Maybe that was a pure coincidence, so I ignored it. He got out of it and walked straight in my direction, so I had no other choice but to stop. I can't remember what he told me since I didn't listen. All I wanted was to go as far away from him as I could and I tried to go away but he caught me by my wrist, telling me to wait. I tried to break free, only to notice his grip tightened more and more. Then, I lifted the head to look at him and saw that scary glow in his eyes as he told me that I wouldn't be able to run away from him twice. He pulled to force me to go in his car with much ease, though I struggled as much as I could. I was so scared, I thought I'd never be able to go back home, to see my parents, Roxas or Leon… " The blonde greet his teeth at the mention of his name, his hearts bleeding so much for Sora. " Fortunately, Cloud happened to be in that street at that moment and he stopped his car, calling me. I felt the grip loosening and I could finally make him let go of me. I… I don't want to know what would have happened if Cloud wasn't there at that time… " Roxas lifted Sora slightly and hugged him as the brunette cried. " I'm scared Roxas ! " he whispered. " I heard his voice again. What if he's in this school too ? He'll never leave me alone ! "

" Maybe that was just your imagination… " Roxas supposed, but Sora knew it wasn't. Somehow, he was sure it was real, he was here but couldn't prove it. Seeing his supposition got no answer, Roxas added : " Well, this time, it's my turn to protect you. " He broke the hug to look straight in Sora's eyes.

" You can count on me too. " Riku added, smiling gently, though he was suffering as much as the blonde deep inside.

" Thanks… " the brunette told them, wipping his tears.

" You should rest. " Roxas told him. " Don't worry, we never leave you alone in the room. By the way, you can go back Riku, it's my turn. So, go and take a shower. You stink. " he said, waving a hand before his nose.

" Liar. Hot guys like me never stink. " the silver-haired teen stated.

" Well, you will if you don't go. You've been staying here the whole time ! "

" _He watched over me since Friday ?_ " Sora thought. He grinned and told Riku that he stunk, which made him decide to shower. Before he left, the brunette thanked him, smiling gently. His friend simply nodded, his cheeks becoming rosy, and got out. Sora followed his cousin's advice and slept, and it felt nice. For the first time since many weeks, he'd be having nice dreams and feel secure.

------

" Really, next time something bothers you, don't wait until you pass out to talk to me about it, okay ? " Riku asked. Today was Wednesday and he agreed with Roxas to look after Sora that day. Since the brunette's parents were both working, he couldn't go back home because he needed someone to help him with… many things. Anyway, he'd soon be able to go to school again, so he enjoyed his last days the most he could.

" In fact, what I told you wasn't the reason I couldn't eat all weak. " the brunette said, trying to sit properly in his bed.

" What was it, then ? " the silver-haired teen questioned, arching an eyebrow. Sora blushed.

" You heard what people said about Kairi and me, right ? " It felt so awkward.

" They're just gossips, aren't they ? "

" Actually, they're right… But that's not the problem here. " The blue-eyed boy silenced himself, bitting his bottom lip.

" _How can he be so cute even when he looks so embarrassed ?..._ " Riku blinked a few times, realizing what he just thought. My, he really needed to rest, didn't he ?

" It… had no effects. " Sora concluded, making his friend snap back into reality.

" No effects ? And by that, you mean? "

" Well, even if you don't like the girl, when she's… " He lowered his voice and looked at his oh so interesting hands. " …making out with you, I think you should like it, right ? "

" I suppose. " the other replied and the brunette sighed.

" I thought so. The truth is I didn't like it at all. Isn't that strange ? " the blue-eyed teen tried to laugh as he scratched the back of his neck.

" Are you… telling me you're doubting the fact that you're straight ? " the silver-haired teen cocked his head as he asked.

" You could say this. " A big silence.

" There's one way to find out. " Riku said, mentally grinning.

" Really ? " Sora asked, hopeful and looked at his friend who was staring at him. " Oh ! " he added, realizing what he had meant.

" _This is bad. Really bad._ " the green-eyed boy thought. " _He doesn't seem to like the idea… Wait, why would I mind anyway ?_ "

" Okay, I'll try ! " the determined brunette stated, putting a hand on Riku's.

" Rea-really ? Are you sure ? " the other asked.

" Come on, Riku ! It's not like I'm giving myself to you ! " He rolled his eyes as he talked, earning a small laugh from his friend, who put a warm hand on his cheek and leaned forward, his face close to Sora's. The brunette couldn't help but blush at such a nice view, those deep eyes giving him an intense look.

" This is when you close your eyes. " Riku said, still staring at the brunette.

" Oh-oh, yeah, right ! " the other replied, quickly doing what he was told to. Then, he felt a hot breath on his lips and waited for his friend to kiss him… What was he waiting for ? On his side, Riku was getting mixed feelings about the current situation. He thought he was enjoying this a bit too much and that, maybe, it was a bad idea after all. He had to make a choice soon because Sora was waiting… Unconsciously, the silver-haired teen closed the gap and pressed his lips against the brunette's and noticed the he actually kissed back. Now, that was unexpected. When Riku broke the quick kiss and looked at the brunette, he thought he saw him pout before he opened the eyes and turned another shade of red, which made the green-eyed teen laugh.

" Did you get your answer ? " he asked. The other teen blinked a few times and nodded. " I'm glad I could help. " Suddenly, someone burst in the room, making the two jump.

" Oh my gosh, Sora ! You're so dead ! " Roxas exclaimed as he closed the door behind Axel.

" How are you doing ? " the red head asked Sora. " Do you have a fever ? Your face is red. "

" N-no, I'm fine. " the blue-eyed teen answered, looking away. Then, he remembered his cousin's words. " 'Dead', you say ? "

" Hell yeah ! He's searching for you ! "

" Who is ? "

" Laexus. " Axel replied. " And you can consider yourself a lucky man, for he only found out yesterday about you flirting with his girlfriend. " Sora blinked a few times and crossed his arms to his chest.

" It's not like I asked Kairi to do dirty things in her room. She just took advantage of my weak state at that time. Oh well, I don't care anymore. " he concluded, sighing. The three boys looked confused but simply shrugged. " The doctor said I could go to class again Friday. I guess I'll have to stay in this room for another week if that Laexus guy finds me. What will I do to busy myself during that time… "

" Hey, hey ! It's not like he'll break your legs or something. " the blonde said.

" Yeah, he'll also break your arms along the way. " Axel teased, receiving glares from Roxas and Riku. To their suprise, it made Sora laugh.

------

The next day, it was Roxas' turn to look after his cousin, though it wasn't necessary since the brunette was feeling a lot better. Both tidied the dorm up while listening to music and singing out of tune on purpose, just to see who could sing the worst. Sora put a hand before the blonde's mouth to make him stop singing but ended up being tackled and pinned on the ground, Roxas tickling him. While he shook his head franticaly, he noticed someone outside, standing in the middle of the dorm's garden.

" Stop, Roxas, stop ! I think I saw someone there ! " Sora told him, motioning to the window. The blonde looked up and blinked a few times.

" What is she doing here ? " Sora sat up and looked out the window. A little girl stood next to a tree in front of their window and she was crying. The brunette got up and ran oustide of the room. Roxas saw him go to talk to the child and take her by the hand as he went back in the dorms. When he entered the room, he motioned to Roxas.

" This is Roxas. He is my cousin. " he said. The girl looked up and hid behind the brunette, clenching to his trousers. That was absolutely adorable ! She had brown hair and her eyes had different colors, which made her look quite intriguing.

" I'm pleased to meet you, little miss. " Roxas said, bowing. " What is your name ? " The child kept looking at him from behind her protector and said :

" I don't want to tell you. " and stuck her tongue out at him. Now, she looked less cute…

" She didn't tell me either. " Sora said, seeing his relative pouting. He looked down as he felt the little girl tugging on his sweater.

" I can say it to you. " she told him.

" But it wouldn't be fair to Roxas, you know. Besides, when someone introduce themselves to you, you should do the same. That's what cute girls do. " Sora said, squatting down and taping her nose, a bright smile on his face. He loved children and knew how to deal with them perfectly. The girl blushed and nodded.

" My name is Yuna. "

" Okay, Yuna. " Sora said. " You seem a little too young to be in college. How and why did you come here ? " Yuna thought for a moment, not sure if she should tell them the reason of her presence here. " Maybe we could help you. " the brown-haired teen added.

" I-I'm looking for my brother. " she timidly said. Roxas came and squatted down next to his cousin.

" What does he look like ? " the blonde asked. " Maybe we know him ! "

" He's… tall and really really kind. " she said, smiling. That didn't really help.

" What else ? What is your brother's name ? " Sora asked.

" Riku. " the child replied. The teens fell on their rears because of the shock. Riku also had a sister ! What's more…

" How did you get here by yourself ?! " Sora exclaimed, blinking in total amazement. He lived so far from there !

" I was with my uncle, who lives in town here, near the college. I wanted to see Riku but maybe I got lost… " She was about to cry again.

" Then, you're at the right place ! " the teens said, grinning. Yuna looked over-joyed and jumped in Sora's arms. " But you won't be able to see him right now. You'll have to wait a little. " the brunette said.

" And we have to warn your uncle. " Roxa added. " Do you know his phone number ? " The child shook her head and he sighed. " I guess we'll have to wait for Riku, then. I'll leave a note on his door. " he said, taking paper and a pen. Yuna yawned and rubbed her sleepy eyes.

" It's time to sleep. " Sora stated, taking her by the hand and walking towards his bed. She sat on it and stared at him, blushing. " What's wrong ? " the teen asked, tilting his head.

" Riku always lie beside me and hug me until I fall asleep. " she almost whispered. The brunette scratched the back of his neck.

" It can't be helped, I guess. " He took his shoes off and lied on the bed, turning on his side while Yuna curled up against him. He put his right arm under his head and wrapped the other around the litte girl's shoulders. Soon, they both fell asleep, listening to the other's soft breathing.


	9. Chapter 9

**Disclaimer :** As usual, Kingdom Heart's characters are not mine.

A/N : I just realized how short my chapters were, compared to others' ! Oo ; I'll try my best to write looooong chapters, like this one ! Anyway, enjoy ! And thanks for reading, reviewing, and also adding this to your favorites ! XD

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" I can't believe it ! She's so gonna get scolded once she wakes up !! " Riku said. He was sitting on Roxas' bed, in front of the blonde.

" Don't be too harsh on her. She looked so scared ! " Roxas told him.

" Whatever. " the other replied. " Anyway, you said you wanted to talk to me about something ? "

" Yeah. " Roxas whispered, moving closer to the silver-haired teen to make sure he'd understand what he was saying. " I thought a lot about what Sora told us on Sunday. " He paused for a bit and continued, looking squarely in Riku's eyes. " What's our art supply teacher's name ? " Riku scratched the back of his head.

" Smith, I think. " Roxas looked at his hands, clenching on his trousers. " Something wrong ? " the other added, seeing the worried look on the blonde's face.

" The same name. " the blue-eyed boy replied. " I remember it now. Sora used to talk a lot about someone called Smith and who was his art teacher in high school. " He thought for a while. " Oh well, that's a common name. " he concluded.

" Yeah, but remember he told us he heard him. Maybe it was because of his weak state, but it could also be true. We should be careful. " Riku said.

" We'll know for sure tomorrow. "

------

When Sora opened the eyes, he looked down and saw that Yuna was still curled up against him. Looking at Roxas' bed, he saw his cousin and Riku discussing. He got up but felt a hand clenching on his sweater as the little girl mumbled in her sleep and pouted. Then, the two boys noticed Sora had woken up. Riku arose to his feet and walked in his sister's direction. He gently stroked her cheek, making her smile and open her eyes. All she saw at first was the brunette smiling at her.

" Bad girl ! You shouldn't come here by yourself ! " Riku said behind her. Ignoring the lecture his brother was trying to give her, she hugged him and snuggled her face in his chest.

" Big brother's friends were really nice to me ! " she exclaimed, looking at his angry looking brother.

" What if it wasn't Sora and Roxas who found you ? Didn't mother warn you not to talk to strangers ? You got lucky they're not bad guys ! " he told her." Well, as long as you're okay, nothing else matters. Uncle was really worried, you know ? "

" I'm sorry. " Yuna broke the hug and looked at her hands while talking. " I won't do it again. "

" Alright. " Riku replied, patting her head. " Now, tell me why you were looking for me. "

" I… just wanted to see you. You never come back home and I miss you a lot ! "

" I understand, but next time you want to come at the dorms, ask uncle to take you here. "

" Okay. " Yuna obediently replied. " I'll also come to see you, Sora ! " she added, nuzzling herself against said teen, smiling.

" I'll be glad if you do. " Sora told her, smiling back. Riku frowned a bit.

" There's too much of an age difference between you two. You know that ? " he said, looking at them.

" Who are you talking to ? " Sora asked, tilting his head slightly.

" Riku's jealous because I found my prince ! " the little girl cheerfully said as the brunette gulped nervously.

" No way ! He's too old for you ! Period. " the green-eyed teen stated.

" I didn't know you had such a cute side. " Roxas told Riku, grinning. " You should be careful, Sora ! Your fiancée's brother might stab you in the back when you look the other way ! "

" His fiancée… " Yuna trailed off, day dreaming, before Riku yelled at the three people.

------

The child slept in Zexion's room – he also had a dorm during the week – and was to leave the next day. Sora was a little sad, not being able to say goodbye. Friday's lessons were almost finished and he was sure she already went back to his uncle's house. He was in the art classroom, his arms crossed behind his head and staring at the ceiling, waiting for the teacher to come. Roxas kept teasing him about his newly-found fiancée while Riku scolded the blonde, telling him to stop. The brunette heaved a sigh, hoping for the last few hours to pass by quickly. He didn't hate art, it's just that he really wanted to be on week-end. Still staring at the ceiling, he didn't see the quick glances his two friends were giving him, looking at the clock nervously. And finally…

" Good afternoon, class. "

The teacher – Mr Smith – entered the room as everyone went back to their seats. The two saw Sora's face become as white as a sheet. The brunette looked at Mr Smith, swallowing with much difficulty. He was about to fly out of the classroom when he remembered where doing this led him the last time.

" Oh no, it can't be… " he whispered, putting his hands on each side of his head, clenching on locks of his hair. " No, no, no, no- " He jumped, feeling a hand being put on his shoulder. He turned the head to see that it was Riku's, who mouthed him " You're not alone " but it didn't help at all. His heart kept beating faster and faster. Sweat was even forming on his forehead and breathing became quite hard. " _Shit, I won't make it until the end of class !_ " he thought. Then, someone knocked at the door and entered quickly. It was Zexion – Xaldin was with him – who looked pretty worried.

" Excuse me, sir. " the blue-haired man said, panting a little. " I need three of your pupils, if you don't mind. " he added, looking in Riku, Roxas and Sora's direction. Thankfully, their seats were next to one another ! Mr Smith frowned but let the three leave. Once they exited the room, the brunette took a few steps before he fell on his knees, feeling dizzy.

" Hey, you should have waited a bit longer before coming back to school! " Xaldin exclaimed, but got no reply.

" What happened ? " Riku asked Zexion.

" It's Yuna. " Zexion replied, facing the teens. " I left her alone for a minute and when I came back, she wasn't there anymore. Only Xaldin and me are free and can search for her now, but we need more help. " Sora twitched when he heard this and clenched his fists, just like Riku. " _She's all alone right now…and probably scared._ " the brunette thought.

" We have to make groups and search for her in different places. " he managed to say. Everyone looked at him. " We'll go on one-man teams and the one who finds her warns the others. Everyone has his cellphone ? " They all nodded. " Alright. " Taking a deep breath, Sora stood up. His legs were still weak but he'd have to bear with it – for Yuna. " There are three floors in school. Three of you will go on each one and search everywhere. There are also three floors in the dorms, but only two of us are left. We'll have to do with it. I will go to the dorms. Who'll come with me ? "

" I will. " Xaldin said. " _If he's feeling bad again, I'm the most suited to carry him around._ " the black-haired man thought.

" Okay, let's go. " Sora said, walking away fast. Once in the dorms, the two agreed on which places they'd search. Sora had to look for Yuna on the first floor – Xaldin thought that if the teen were to fall again, it wouldn't be in stairs, at least. It has been almost half an hour since the search began and there were still no traces of the little girl.

" _Where could she be ? What if something happened to her ?_ " Sora wondered. He rested against a wall, still feeling dizzy because of the earlier shock. Then, he heard voices in the yard. He heard boys first… and a child. " Could it be… " he said aloud as he went outside. There were three guys he didn't know – they probably weren't from his school – surrounding a little girl.

" Yuna ! " he exclaimed, running in their direction. She lifted the head and looked at him. She was crying.

" Sora ! " she said, also running but she fell when one of the boys pushed her, which made them laugh a lot. Sora kneeled down to help her get up and hugged her, glaring at the group.

" You never pick on people who can fight you back, do you ? I hate guys like you the most. " he seethed. The group stopped laughing and watched him get up, talking to Yuna. " Return in the dorms and wait for me at the entrance. " he whispred in her ear. " **Do not move** from there and wait for me. Go now, and don't look back. Hurry ! " He pushed her slightly and she did what she was told to. He turned to face the three boys who had amused looks on their faces.

" Does that mean it's okay if we play with you instead ? " one said.

" You've got nothing to do here ! " the brunette stated. " You're not attending college, do you ? So, you better leave before you get in trouble. "

" You do not realize the situation you're in, kid ! " another said, smirking. " Hey guys, I'm getting bored. "

" So am I. " the others replied at the same time. They walked closer to Sora, making sure he couldn't escape. The blue-eyed boy was trapped and he had to think quickly if he wanted to get out of this in one piece. But the band didn't let him do as he pleased. One caught him from behind, immobilizing him, while another boy stood in front of him, swaying an arm back to punch him. The brunette did the first thing that came on his mind : he kicked him in the crotch. That was really mean but they were three against him after all !

" You bastard ! " the one behind Sora yelled as he kicked him in the back, making him fall head first and hit it against a tree.

" WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU'RE DOING, YOU ASSHOLES !! I'M SO GONNA KILL YOU ALL ! " Xaldin yelled furiously, running in the group's direction. The boys ran away, leaving Sora lying on the grass. " You okay ? " the black-haired man asked the unconscious teen, shaking him. The other mumbled and opened the eyes, looking up at the man. " I warned the others that we found Yuna, they should be there anytime soon ! But let's go back to your room first, we have to tread your wound. "

" The others ? " Sora asked.

------

Zexion and the two teens waited for one another in front of the school gates and went to the dorms. Roxas had a hard time trying not to be left behind by the brothers. They ran pretty fast ! He was glad to be in front of his dorm's door ! He entered, moving to the side so that Yuna wouldn't hit him when she ran towards Riku and Zexion. Sora was sitting on his bed, talking with Xaldin who just finished putting Band-Aids on the brunette's forehead.

" Oh my gosh, Sora ! What happened ?! " Roxas exclaimed, sitting next to his cousin who did not reply.

" Some guys were picking on Yuna and he tried to fight them. Of course, it turned out badly since he barely stood on his feet. And to top it all, he keeps saying he doesn't remember anything ! " Xaldin grunted. " Tch, if only I were the one who found her. All this wouldn't have happened. "

" It… it's okay, sir ! I'm fine ! " Sora said, waving his hands before him.

" You're not, stupid ! " the man shouted. " And the name's Xaldin, remember that ! "

" You're angry at yourself and you're taking it out on Sora ! It's not fair ! " the blonde snaped at Xaldin, frowning. " Calm down, what happened is not your fault. " The black-haired man sighed and left, Zexion following him with Yuna. " Are you cursed or something ? " Roxas asked the brunette. " Bad things keep happening lately. " Seeing his cousin's perplexed look, he added : " Looks like you really forgot everything… Do you remember me ? "

" I'm sorry. " Sora replied, shaking his head.

" You forgot about me too ? " Riku asked. Once again, the brunette said he was sorry as the green-eyed boy sighed. " Great, what are we going to do now ? We were so close to his path's truth. " He sighed along with Roxas. The blonde suddenly clicked his fingers.

" I know ! Actually, it is for the best this way ! "

" Oh, really ? " the silver-haired teen ironically said, narrowing his eyes.

" It is. " Cloud said. The three teens looked at him, surprised. " Xaldin called me if that's what you were wondering. " he said, closing the door behind him. " Anyway, as I was saying, Roxas is right. We could actually take advantage of the current situation. We don't have any proof about your teacher's past actions. " He glanced at Sora : no reaction from the teen. He really forgot everything. " It might be quite a harsh way, but it could bring his memories back along the way. " The blonde man sat beside Riku and cleared his throat. " Here's the plan : we won't interfere when you-know-who will talk to Sora. We'll pretend we never knew what he did before. There will be a time when he'll screw up and reveal his true self. " Hearing this shocked Riku. There was no way he'd let him have his ways with Sora ! " Don't look at me as if I were a monster ! It's hard to ask this to you, you know ! But that's the only way to send him to jail. Without evidences, he's as innocent as a newborn baby. " Riku closed the eyes and took a deep breath.

" Okay. " the teen said. " If there's no other choice, then I'm in. But that's dangerous, you know. I don't like this at all… What if something bad happens ? "

" I said we wouldn't stop them from talking to each other. It doesn't mean we won't keep an eye on them, dumbass. " Cloud replied. The silver-haired boy frowned.

" …Okay, then. "

" Excuse me but what are you guys talking about ? " Sora timidly asked. " It looks like it's connected to me. "

" Don't think too much about it, it's nothing. " Riku lied.

" For now, enjoy your week-end to the fullest, okay ? " Cloud told the brunette, who nodded in agreement. " Good. I'll see you next week. " That being said, he arose to his feet and left.

------

" How could you forget about the great Axel ?! " Roxas' boyfriend exclaimed. The four boys were in the student lounge, watching TV. Axel couldn't believe he was forgotten ; Roxas couldn't believe a man could complain so much ; and Riku couldn't believe how frequently Sora glanced at him, a slight blush on his face.

" What's wrong ? " he finally asked the brunette.

" Er-well… " the teen replied, looking at his hands resting on his lap. " Actually, I'd like to ask you something. Can you come with me for a second ? " he asked as he got up. Riku blinked a few times but followed him outside the room in the end. Sora was avoiding his gaze and was turning a deeper shade of red.

" I-I'm sorry that I probably forgot about something so important. " he mumbled.

" Forgot about what ? "

" Well, it- it seems like we were… you know… " He looked up.

" Friends ? " Riku asked. " What ? " he added, seeing his friend's stunned look.

" Are you sure we were just friends ? What does it mean, then ? " the brunette asked himself, taking a photo out of his trousers' pocket and looking at it, then at Riku.

" May I see it ? " the green-eyed boy asked.

" Su-sure ! " The taller teen took the photo and looked at it.

" Wha- ?! " he exclaimed, blushing too. " When did this happen ?! " On the photo, Sora was lying on the ground… with Riku on him. It was taken in the brunette's bedroom too. " It must be a misunderstanding. "

" But this photo- " Sora began.

" I know what's on it. " Riku cut him. " We weren't going out, this I am sure of. "

" Oh, alright. " the brunette replied, sighing.

" …Are you disappointed ? "

" Not really… I don't know. " Sora said, scratching the back of his neck. " Nevermind. Let's go back, okay ? " The blue-eyed boy smiled and went back in the lounge.

" What is this ? " Riku said aloud, still looking at the picture. He didn't remember anything at all, which was really frustrating. Yeah, that must have been what Sora felt a few minutes ago : frustration. " Oh well… " he said and shrugged. He walked towards the door, when the brunette ran out, hitting his friend in the chest. " What now ? " the silver-haired teen asked, laughing.

" Outside, outside ! Let's go outside ! " the other exclaimed, still hiding his face in the older boy's chest.

" I'll go anywhere you want but outside. It's too cold. "

" Then, let's go in my dorm. " Sora said as he lifted his head. " Where was it again… " he wondered, frowning.

" I see. " Riku replied, sighing. " Let's go in mine. " He grabbed the brunette's wrist and pulled him. He looked back and noticed that his friend was blushing again. " So, will you explain to me what scared you like that ? "

" I wasn't scared. " Sora corrected. " Just surprised. "

" By what ? "

" Roxas and the other guy… they were kissing when I entered. They gave me strange looks. I excused myself for interrupting them and ran outside. I hope they won't be angry at me… "

" Don't worry. There's no way they'll be. " Riku reassured him. They kept walking in silence until they got to the green-eyed boy's room. As he closed the door, the brunette ran towards the window and froze midway.

" That's strange. I've got the feeling that I already did this once – running to look out your window… " the brunette said, scratching his cheek gently.

" That's because it did happen." the other said, standing close to the younger boy, who did not move an inch. " _He's not moving away this time._ " Riku thought. Suddenly, he felt the brunette leaning against him, which made them both fall on the ground since the silver-haired boy wasn't expecting this.

" Say, Riku. Do you have a girlfriend ? " Sora asked, staring at the ceiling, still lying on the floor.

" No. "

" Eh ? Really ?! " the brunette exclaimed, now sitting in front of Riku, who sat up too. " With such good looks, that's a real surprise. How come ? "

" How would I know ? "

" Let me guess ! Hm… " the younger teen trailed off. " It's becaauuuse… its seems like you're always angry, maybe ? It makes you look more attractive, though. " Riku's cheeks turned a rosy colour when he heard that. Sora was very frank, unlike his usual self. Did amnesia make people's personnality change ? He'd have to search for the answer. " You know, " the brunette said, interrupting the other's thoughts. " If I were a girl, I'd definitely ask you out. "

" Eh ? " Aquamarine eyes blinked a few times.

" Well, you like girls, right ? " No reply – and that was not the point ! " You don't ? "

" I discovered that I liked boys two days ago when I kissed **you**. " was what the silver-haired boy wanted to reply, but he couldn't.

" I see, you're not sure either. "

" Either ? " Finally, he said something !

" I have an idea ! " Maybe it would be better if Riku ran out of the room… " Since we're both not sure wether we like girls or not, what about going out for a one month trial period ? "… after he listened to Sora's plan.

" One month ? Isn't it a bit long ? "

" Would a week be better ? " the brunette asked.

" No, no, a month is alright. " Riku added, shaking his head.

" Okay, it's a deal, then ! " the blue-eyed teen exclaimed, grinning. He hold his hand out and Riku shook it. It felt a bit awkward, especially since Sora was staring at him.

" What's wrong ? " the older boy asked.

" Well, when people are going out, they usually kiss, don't you think ? " Riku made a strange sound as he tried not to choke, which made Sora laugh a lot. " Okay, okay, maybe I'm being too fast. " he added. When he was about to stand up, the other teen came closer, putting his warm hand on his cheek. The brunette trembled softly, moving closer to him. He looked at those amazing aquamarine eyes that fascinated and scared him at the same time. They reminded him of something he couldn't remember clearly. He frowned a bit, lost in his thoughts and not noticing those beautiful eyes were now closed and also that Riku was closing the gap between their lips. When Sora felt he was being kissed, he completely stopped thinking and his mind went blank. He also closed his eyes and kissed back. The brunette almost jumped when he felt his friend's tongue on his lips. He opened his mouth so that they could deepen the kiss. Riku explored the other's mouth slowly, as if he wanted to memorize everything. Sora complied and eventually did the same when their tongues touched. Riku broke the kiss to breathe and looked at the brunette, cupping his face. The first kiss he gave him may have been quick, but he enjoyed it. He wondered why he liked it so much for the past few days and today, finally, he got the answer. He was beginning to fall in love with that cute boy before him, whose cheeks were becoming rosy – probably because of the intense stare he was getting.

" Riku, what are you doing to my cousin ? " an annoyed blonde asked, standing at the door frame. When did he get in ? He motioned to Riku to come with him in the corridor. Once they were outside the room and they made sure Sora couldn't hear them, Roxas exclaimed :

" Are you nuts ?! "

" **He** asked for it ! " Riku half-lied, as the blonde sighed.

" Riku, he lost his memories. Do you know what it means ? " He paused. " People usually forget what happened during their amnesia when they remember their lost memories. You know that, do you ? "

" I won't hurt Sora, so you don't have to worry. " the silver-haired boy said.

" I'm not worrying about him because I know I can trust you. " Riku frowned." I don't know why you kissed him but… you shouldn't do it again. " the blonde stated, looking at the other straight in the eyes. " I'm afraid you'll end up hurting yourself in the end. "

" What makes you think that ? "

" Do you like him ? "

" Of course, he's a good friend. "

" That's not what I meant, and you know it. " They remained silent for almost a minute. " So ? " Roxas added.

" Maybe. " Riku admitted.

" Then, you should stop right now, before it's too late. I know I have no right to say this, but if you keep doing things like this, you'll like him more and more, only to be crushed the day he'll forget everything that happened between you two. " The silver-haired teen who looked at his friend while he talked found his feet awfully interesting all of a sudden. He knew Roxas was right but he'd never admit it out loud ! " You may look strong, but I know you take things to heart most of the time. Please, think about it, okay ? " Riku nodded. " Alright. I promise I'll lend you a hand once everything is over ! Now, let's go. I still have to take my book in my room. Axel's looking at some crappy series and I'd be bored doing nothing beside him. "

------

Days passed by fast. Riku, Roxas and Axel were spending hours with Sora, trying to explain everything related to school and also what happened before he lost his memories, which led to…

" Laexus… " Sora said slowly. " So, you say he wants to beat me up because I almost slept with his girlfriend. But why did I do that ? "

" You didn't. " Riku replied. " She's the one who tried to abuse you. "

" Somehow, it seems really weird. "

" Be quiet, you two ! " the teacher said. They were in art class, sitting next to each other. This week's subject was still life and they had to draw fruits.

" Why aren't we drawing flowers ? " the brunette asked aloud. " I hate fruits ! Aaargh, why won't it look right ?! " Mr Smith laughed softly and began to walk in the blue-eyed teen's desk direction but froze midway, seeing his green-eyed friend talking to him…once again.

" Apples aren't so round. They look more like this. " Riku said, then corrected his friend's drawing. " See ? Now, you can shade it. "

" You draw well, Riku ! " the brunette exclaimed." I envy you. " The brown-haired teacher kept glancing at the two while checking up on the pupils' works.

" _Who is this kid ? _" the man thought. " _They probably met when Sora transfered here. They seem really close too. I don't like this._ " Mr Smith checked up on the green-eyed teen's sketch.

" Well, well. If you want my opinion – Riku, was it ? – you'd better improve your skills before giving advices to others. " Riku turned back to see that he was being glared at. Those eyes were filled with so much hatred it made him shudder. " By the way, I'd like to talk to your friend later. Sora, stay here when class is over, okay ? " he asked, smiling gently at the brunette, who didn't even bother to look at him or reply, pouting. The older teen was glad he was on his side but maybe it would bring trouble more than anything else. Anyway, he'd have to be careful.

------

When the bell rang, everyone packed up and ran out of the room, leaving Sora alone. The teen stood in front of his teacher's desk and waited until he decided to talk.

" What did you want to talk to me about, sir ? " he asked. Mr Smith was busy writing something in his notebook. Once he was finished, he looked up at Sora, smiling.

" Well, actually, there's something I'd like to ask you. " The brunette gulped." Your drawing skills improved a lot. What did you do ? " The teen blinked a few times.

" Improved, you say ? Was it worse before ? "

" You didn't notice the difference ? " the teacher asked, arching an eyebrow.

" I can't remember how I used to draw before. I forgot a lot of things recently. " Sora explained.

" That's why you're not afraid of me anymore…that makes sense. " the man whispered, then shrugged. Sora didn't hear what he said. " Whatever. " he concluded. He didn't say a thing for alsmot a minute and the teen finally said :

" By the way, I think it was unfair to talk to Riku the way you did earlier. Maybe he's not as talented as you probably are, but it wasn't necessary to be so harsh. I wanted you to know that. If you'll excuse me now. " The brunette turned back and began to walk towards the door, when he heard a chair clatter and felt a grip on his wrist. He winced a bit at the strange feeling overwhelming him.

" Wait, Sora. " Mr Smith said. He was breathing fast and frowning. " That Riku… what is he to you ? " The brunette opened his mouth, quite surprised by this unexpected question, especially coming from a teacher.

" We're… good friends. " he lied, looking away. He couldn't tell him they were going out, he'd freak out. Unfortunately, Mr Smith understood that the teen lied to him and his face paled dangerously as he bit his lip.

" I see. " He let go of the teen's wrist and watched him run oustide. " I'll have to make you mine quickly. " he whispered when Sora was in the corridor. Riku was waiting for him, leaning against the wall. He lifted his head and looked at his pale friend.

" Let's go." Sora almost whispered. He walked towards the school's front doors and went outside, breathing deeply as the wind blew on his face. " So cold. " he said in the fresh air. He turned to face Riku. " Maybe it'll snow ! That would be great ! " He smiled, but his friend could tell it wasn't sincere.

" Did Smith do something strange ? " he bluntly asked the other, who looked at his feet.

" No, not really. He just surprised me a little, that's all. " He felt arms wrapping around him tightly as the older boy whispred in his ear.

" If something's bothering you, you can talk to me about it. " He kissed the brunette on the forehead, then on the cheek… Sora clenched on Riku's coat, pressing himself against him and it was enough for him to feel peaceful again. He felt his friend shiver a bit and looked up.

" Are you cold, Riku ? "

" Yeah, a bit. " The brunette smiled gently and took the green-eyed boy's hand in his and walked towards the dorms.

" You know…" the younger teen began, looking in front of him. " …I'd like things to always stay like this. " He looked at the ground quickly, then at Riku. " Roxas told me that once I recover my lost memories, I'll forget everything that happened during my amnesia. Actually, it's a little scary. It's like…dying. I don't want to disappear. " He bit his lip, looking at the ground once more. The silver-haired boy said nothing and kept walking beside his friend. It was kind of strange to hear the brunette talk about himself like that. However, he understood what his friend meant and when he thought about it, he also found it scary.

The two were now standing in front of Sora's room door, still holding each other's hand. The brunette heaved a sigh and looked into Riku's eyes. Although he didn't know him very well, he already loved that part of him : his deep, beautiful aquamarine eyes.

" Riku… " the younger teen said, blushing a little. " I…I don't want this to end. " He wrapped his arms around the taller boy's waist and nuzzled his face against his chest as the other timidly hugged back. " When this side of my personnality dies, I'd like you to try as hard as you can to make the other Sora like you back – if you don't mind, that is. " He lifted his head to look at Riku's face. " He and I are connected, and I'll keep living within his heart, I'm sure of this. So, I'll wait for you until that day. " His lips curved into a smile that contrasted with the sadness of his expression. As a reply, Riku kissed him, tightening the hug. He broke it a few seconds later to the brunette's disappointment.

" I will, it's a promise. " he managed to say.

" Thanks. " Sora replied as he broke the hug. " Well, I should leave you now. We have a lot of work. " Riku quickly said his goodbyes and walked away. The brunette entered in his dorm to find Roxas lying on his bed, reading a book.

" Oh, you're back ! I wondered where you were. "

" I was with Riku. "

" I see. " They didn't talk for what seemed hours until Sora broke the silence.

" I'd like to know… What did the other me think of Riku ? " His cousin sighed and sat up.

" Sora, stop talking like that. You know, you're not that different from your older self. Actually, it's the almost depressed you who should say things like this. " Roxas told him. " You used to be carefree before, but you suddenly changed and still managed to stay yourself. "

" I don't get it… " the other said, cocking his head to the side.

" What I want to say is that Sora will always be Sora, and there's only one. "

" Yeah, but I… I'll forget in the end. I won't remember what happened with you, with Axel… with Riku. " Sora said, lying on his bed and staring at the ceiling, a frown appearing on his face.

" There are things that can't be forgotten, even if your mind tells you otherwise. And if you really can't remember, I'll help you. So, don't worry, okay ? " The blonde grinned and was relieved when he saw his relative smiling back. " I'll have to work pretty hard, because you're so dense. "

" Ha, ha, am I ? " the other asked, laughing.

" Hell yeah ! " The rest of the evening went fast. Sora was cheerful again. Well, that is until **he** found him.

" Are you Sora ? " someone said behind Sora and Roxas who were going back to their room after dinner. A tall and strong-looking guy was standing in the middle of the corridor, frowning.

" Er…yes. And you are ? " the brunette replied. The other boy was glaring at him and he really didn't like that. Who was he to come and get angry at him for no..

" I'm Laexus. I thought you'd know me. "


	10. Chapter 10

**Disclaimer :** Kingdom hearts characters are not mine.

------

" I'm Laexus. I thought you'd know me. "

Now, he had a point for acting like that. Wait.. No, he still didn't had the right to act like that ! It wasn't Sora's fault ! He saw the giant rock walking firmly in his direction, swaying an arm back and punch him in the stomach. Sora fell a few meters away, unable to breathe for a short period of time. He **was** strong, after all.

" Just a small warning. Do something to Kairi again and next time, I'll make sure you know your place." That being said, he turned back and began to walk away.

" Wait a minute ! " he heard Sora say behind him, along with quick footsteps. He turned back and saw the small brunette running in his direction. Sora also hit him in the stomach, but Laexus didn't fall at all. He just moved a bit – but he **still **moved. How could such a small shrimp have enough strengh to make him wobble, even a little ? " It's not really nice to punch others without even hearing what they have to say ! " Sora said, furious. Roxas was trying to pull him away but only got pushed back. The brunette went berserk and it was wise not to annoy him right now.

" You should **thank** me for running away from her that day ! What's more, wouldn't it be more logical to be mad at **her **?! Man, I don't understand you. If I had a girlfriend who cheated on me, I'd break up and you'd better do the same before she goes after another guy ! "

" In fact, she did it many times already. " Laexus replied.

" What ? You're kidding me, right ? " No answer. " You're stupid. " The strong boy blinked a few times. Not only did he got punched by someone – even if he barely felt it – but he was also called 'stupid'… and by the same guy. He had nerves ! Sora turned away and walked towards his room, cursing. Roxas followed him silently, not wanting to make him angry. Once in their dorm, he saw his brown-haired cousin go in the bathroom. He heard water and someone complaining a bit.

" Sora ? Are you alright ? " the blonde asked. The sounds stopped and the door opened.

" I think it's swelling. " the brunette said, showing his hand. It was red and, indeed, swollen. " That guy's made of stone ! Look at that ! He was supposed to be the one being hurt !! "

" You just don't know how to give someone a good punch. " Roxas replied. " There's no one at the infirmary at this hour. Let's ask Axel if he has something to treat it. "

They went on the second floor and met Riku in the corridor. " Hey guys ! " he called them. They entered the dorm and saw Axel playing video games.

" Don't you have homeworks ? " Roxas asked, sighing.

" I do. Don't want to do them. "

" Anyway, do you have ointment ? "

" Er, yeah. Did you hurt yourself ? " the red head asked, putting the game on pause and turning to face the three.

" It's for me. " Sora said, showing his swollen hand. " Remind me not to punch Laexus again. " he added before they could ask anything. Axel got up and went in the bathroom while Riku told the brunette to sit on his bed, a worried look on his face.

" Did he hurt you anywhere else ? " the silver-haired teen asked.

" He only hit me in the stomach. I hurt myself when I tried to do the same. "

" You punched him ? "

" **And **he called him 'stupid'. That sure surprised him ! " Roxas said. " I think it's the first time someone fought him back. "

" If only I was with you at that time… " Riku said.

" Ewww. " Sora mumbled, pulling his shirt up and looking at his stomach. " There's still a mark. Do you think I'll have a bruise ? " he asked. Axel got out of the bathroom, hodling an ointment tube and bandages.

" I'll lend it to you until Wednesday. It should be okay by then. Put some ointment in the morning and in the evening before going to bed. " the red head explained.

" You sound like a doctor. " the brunette said, grinning.

" I used to hurt my hands like this often when I was still practicing boxing… without gloves. Aah, sweet memories. " Since no one wanted to know about it – they didn't care at all – they deciced to change the subject.

" What did Smith tell you ? " Roxas asked Sora.

" He said I draw better than before… "

" And ? "

" And he asked me about my relationship with Riku. I wonder why he'd want to know… " The silver-haired and the blonde teen's eyes widened. It was only three weeks since he was teaching in their college and he was already at it again ! This couldn't bring anything good.

" And… what did you tell him ? " Roxas asked.

" I said we were just friends. " the brunette replied, as he took the ointment tube and put some of the cold liquid in the palm of his hand. He could put it himself, but bandaging his hurt hand was something else.

" I'll do it. " Riku said. He sat closer to Sora and held his hand. " Eww, it's still full of ointment. " He rubbed softly until it felt less sticky and bandaged the other's hand. " There ! " he sais once he was finished.

" Thanks ! " Sora cheerfully exclaimed.

" We'll be back in a minute ! " Axel told the two. " We're getting some snacks and drinks. Be good boys, you two ! " He winked and went out of the room with Roxas, who gave Riku a don't-do-stupid-things glance. The two boys said nothing and looked at the ground. Eventually, Sora was the first one to talk.

" You don't look so well. "

" I'm fine. " They remained silent again for a short period of time.

" Liar. " Sora said. " I saw your reaction when I told Roxas what was my answer to Mr Smith's question. " The brunette was looking at his friend who was avoiding his gaze. " Riku. " he said as he put his hands on the silver-haired boy's cheeks and kissed him. He knew the other was surprised, for he didn't react at all. But it didn't last. Deepening the kiss, he explored the brunette's mouth as he felt arms wrapping around his neck and pulling him closer. He smirked in the kiss and leaned forward, making the younger teen lie on the bed. Riku broke the kiss to press his lips on Sora's neck, then he left a trail of butterfly kisses, his hands sneaking their way under the blue-eyed boy's sweater at the same time. He stopped when he felt the boy's body tense up and heard him whimper. Riku looked at the other and arched an eyebrow, his hands still under the other's shirt. Sora was bitting his lip. The green-eyed boy pulled the brunette's pullover up and gently touched the mark he had on his stomach. He whimpered again.

" Does it hurt ? " Riku asked.

" Not really. " the other replied. " But your hands are really cold. " So, that was the reason.

" I see. " the taller teen said, smirking. He leaned forward and kissed the brunette's stomach.

" Ri-Riku ! " Sora exclaimed, blushing. But the other didn't stop. The brunette put his hands before his mouth and closed the eyes. Suddenly, they heard Roxas' and Axel's voices. Riku quickly sat up as Sora pulled on his sweater, sitting up too.

" We're back ! " Roxas said.

" And we've got food ! " Axel added.

------

They both didn't understand why Riku was in such a dark mood that night, and it didn't change the next days. They also noticed that Sora wasn't talking to him as much as he used to, and that he had a strange expression whenever he looked at him.

" What happened between those two ? They were still getting along well the other day." the red head wondered. His blonde lover assumed something happened while they left them alone the other day but that was all. He had no idea about what happened and Sora changed the subject whenever he asked him.

" Dunno. " Roxas replied. " Maybe they had a quarrel. " Axel shrugged as a reply.

Meanwhile, Riku was getting really annoyed by Sora's behavior. Each time he tried to talk to him, he got no answer but a weird look. The brunette was currently talking to a girl from their class. He'd wait until they parted and then **force** him to say something. Anything !

" _Now !_ " the silver-haired teen mentally exclaimed. He ran in his friend's direction, caught him by the wrist and pulled him in… the toilets ?

" … " The brunette looked confused. " What do you think you're doing, taking me to the toilets ? "

" I just opened the closest door. " the green-eyed teen replied. He looked at the other, who was avoiding his gaze again. " Sora. " he said, making the younger boy unconsciously look at him. " Tell me what's wrong. " No reply. " **Now.** " he commanded.

" I can't. "

" What ? " Riku asked, frowning. The brunette tried to get out of the small room but got pushed against a wall instead, hands grabbing his shoulders firmly. " I won't let you go before you talk. " the silver-haired boy stated.

" I… " Sora began. His cheeks became rosy.

" I see. " the other said, sighing.

" Hu-Huh ? "

" Do you… want to break up ? I mean, do you want to stop go-"

" No, no, that's not it ! Not at all !! " the brunette quickly said. " It-it " He was stuttering, unable to talk calmly. " It'sjustthatIwaskindofembarrassedwheneverIsawyoubecauseof- "

" Wait, wait. " the green-eyed teen told him, putting a hand on his mouth to silence him. " I don't understand, don't talk so fast. " He couldn't help but chuckle when Sora nodded vigorously.

" I-I was just embarrassed because of what you did the other day. You know… " Riku thought for a moment, unable to remember what he did that could cause his friend to avoid him.

" Oh ! " he exclaimed when he understood what the other meant. " I'm sorry. "

" You don't have to be. I'm the one who shoud be apologizing. " They didn't speak for almost a minute. The older teen thought they'd better get out of the room and go to the cafeteria. He was starving !

------

Axel was playing with his meal's remains. Roxas was watching him, a perplexed expression on his face. It was the first time the red-head was so silent, and it couldn't mean anything good. He probably was either sick or angry at the blonde teen, though he was sure he did nothing to annoy him. Roxas noticed that his lover was glancing at him from time to time, before turning his gaze back to his food.

" Are you free tonight ? " the red-head suddenly asked. The blue-eyed boy didn't reply right away, for it took him some time to realize the other was talking to him.

" Oh, yeah, I am. Why do you ask ? "

" Well, I-I was just wondering that, maybe, you could come over… "

" Sure ! Sora will be glad. " Roxas said, smiling.

" No, you alone. " Axel added. " Sora's a good kid and all, but we barely spend time together. " The green-eyed boy bit his lip and looked the other way, slightly blushing.

" And ? " the blonde asked, knowing Axel had more to say.

" And I- I'd be happy if you agreed to sleep over. "

" That-that would be nice ! " the blonde answered, his face feeling hot all of a sudden. " But what about Riku ? "

" Yeah, what about me ? " Roxas gulped as he turned back to see Riku accompanied by Sora. " What are you two plotting ? "

" Right on time ! " the red-head exclaimed. The two teens sat at the table with their friends and began to eat while Axel told them about his plans. " Riku, could you spend the night in Sora's room ? Roxas is sleeping with me tonight. " Said boy, who was drinking, choked. " Ah, no, no ! That's not what I meant ! I had no dirty thoughts, promise ! "

" Alright, I understand. " Riku said, laughing a bit. " What about you, Sora ? "

" That's okay with me. " the brunette said, not really paying attention to the conversation. Those pasta were so delicious !

" Thanks, guys ! You own ! "

------

Once he was alone in his room with Riku, Sora realized that it would be way more embarrassing than he thought. He was looking the other way, his friend sitting beside him on his bed.

" _Gep a grip of yourself !_ " the brunette thought. " _You're being mean to him, acting like that ! I should find something to do…_ " He looked around the dorm, and saw his laptop that Misaki and Hiro gave him on Christmas – Roxas told him. They said he could watch dvds, didn't they ? He searched for movies in the shelf and showed them to Riku.

" You choose ! " Sora said, grinning. He took the laptop and sat beside Riku, on his bed. It didn't take the green-eyed teen too long to make a choice. When the movie began, the younger teen made himself comfortable, making the other one a bit nervous.

" _We're all alone until tomorrow morning, and we're on the same bed…Oh man !_ " the older boy thought. He shook his head to make his dirty thoughts go away. When he finally calmed down, he glanced at the brunette who was frowning. Was he annoying him, moving so much ? Then, Sora looked at Riku.

" Say… " the blue-eyed boy said, blushing.

" Hm ? "

" I don't think it should bother me but, do you think that Roxas and Axel will… Well, you see. "

" Right, you shouldn't bother. It's their business. " the silver-haired boy replied, his cheeks becoming rosy.

" I know. " Sora said. " I don't understand it, but deep within me, I'm worried about Roxas and really mad at Axel at the same time. " the brunette said, scratching the back of his neck.

" That's because you two are really close, even if you don't remember it. You're afraid Axel could hurt him but he won't. You have my word. " Sora was watching the movie, so he didn't hear what Riku said. He was like a child : listening to you for a second, and ignoring you the next one.

" I'll have to ask him how it was tomorrow. " the brunette said, grinning.

" Wouldn't it be better to experience it yourself ? " Riku asked. Sora gulped and faced his friend, his face turning a deep shade of red.

" I-I wasn't thinking about **that **! I was just-wah !! " The silver-haired teen had pinned the brunette on the bed.

" So wasn't I. You're not that innocent, are you ? "

" Why are you pinning me, then ? And I'm just as innocent as a child ! " the blue-eyed teen replied, sticking his tongue out at him.

" Yes you are. " Riku laughed and got off of the brunette.

" Tch, really… " Sora sat up, his face still red. " You scared me there ! "

" Come on, I know you want it badly ! " the older boy teased. The brunette didn't reply and kept watching the movie instead. Thanks to Riku, he didn't understand it since he distracted him. And soon, he found himself imagining how it would be to wake up next to the silver-haired teen after a lovely night. He couldn't say he didn't want it, he would be lying. He just **couldn't** because he didn't want to forget his first time with Riku. Sora didn't know when this would happen, but he'd wait. It was for the best, fort both of them.

" Can I sleep beside you tonight ? " the brunette asked. It surprised the other a bit but he nodded, a gentle smile on his face.

------

The sound of an alarm clock woke a small brunette up. He tried to stop it but couldn't move his arm. He opened the eyes and saw someone lying beside him. Who could it be and why was that person here ? And then, he remembered.

" Riku, we're going to be late. " the boy's sleepy voice said.

" Five more minutes. " Riku said, holding Sora closer. The brunette nuzzled his face up to the taller teen's chest, his warmth making him feel at peace. If only they could stay like this forever ! But unfortunately, they had to go to school.

" Sora, you're a little pale. Are you okay ? " Roxas asked, looking worried.

" Yeah, my head hurst a bit, that's all. " the brunette replied. " Anyway, how was it with Axel ? "

" It was one of the best evening I ever had ! " the blonde replied, grinning.

" If you could wait until class is over to chat, I'd be grateful to you two. " their teacher – Mrs Lockhart, was it ? – told the two.

" Sorry. " they said at the same time. The sixth period ended and they headed towards their next lesson.

" Go ahead. I need to go to the toilets ! " the brunette exclaimed, running towards said place, and leaving Roxas with Riku. " Ah, I feel better now ! " Sora said, exiting the toilets. He began to walk in his classroom's direction when someone called him. Turning back, he saw Mr Smith and gulped.

" Finally, I found you ! " the man said, smiling. " There's something I need to ask you. I wanted to borrow a book from the library, but they said you already took it. Could you lend it to me ? "

" Sure. I'll give it you tomorrow, sir. " the brunette replied.

" Actually, I need it right now. "

" What ? But I don't have it with me. It's in my dorm. "

" We could go get it. I'll come back with you and explain everything to your teacher. So, please ? " the brown-haired man asked.

" Sora ? What are you doing ? You'll be late ! Oh, good afternoon, Mr Smith ! " a girl from his class said.

" Right on time ! Lena, could you tell the teacher I'll be a bit late ? Thanks in advance ! " the brunette said as he ran towards the school's entrance doors, his art teacher following him. Thankfully, the dorm was close to the school building, so he wouldn't be too late. Oh well, Mr Smith said he'd come with him, right ? His headache grew bigger as he got closer to his room, to the point of feeling sick.

" Now, where did I put it ? " Sora wondered aloud once he was in his room. " There ! " he said, walking towards his bedside table. His heart skipped a few beats when he felt the man's arms wrapping around his waist all of a sudden. Didn't he wait in the corridor ?

" Wha- " Sora said but couldn't say more. It seemed like his head was about to explode. As he felt Mr Smith's breath on his neck, the pain stopped, replaced with fear right away.

------

" What could take him so long ? " Roxas wondered. " It's been 10 minutes already. "

" Maybe he got bigger 'problems' than he thought. " a boy sitting next to the blonde said, laughing. " Don't worry, your cousin will be there soon ! " Roxas didn't reply, so did Riku.

" I've got a bad feeling about this. " the green-eyed boy said. His friend nodded.

" Be quiet and sit down. " a man said.

" Cloud ? " Roxas asked aloud.

" Mrs Kisaragi is currently sick and asked me to teach you. Anyway, I'll call the roll. "

" Excuse me, sir ! " Lena said. Riku looked at her : she was talking to Sora the other day." Sora will be late."

" How come ?" Cloud, Roxas and also Riku asked at the same time, making almost everyone laugh.

" It looks like he had something to do. "

" Okay, thanks. " Cloud replied, frowning. He called the roll, while Riku turned to face the girl whose seat was behind Sora's.

" Do you know what he had to do ? " She shook her head. " I see. " the silver-haired teen said.

" Oh, that's right ! Mr Smith was with him ! " she accidently said out loud.

" Where are they right now ? " Riku asked, now standing.

" I-I don't know. " the girl replied, blinking in surprise. Roxas also stood up as Cloud walked in their direction.

" Does anyone know where they could be ? " the blonde man asked the class.

" I-I heard them talking about something that's in Sora's room. " a boy timibly said.

" Okay. Everyone can leave. " Cloud said, running out of the classroom, the two teens following him.

" That bastard ! " Riku shouted as they ran in the corridor. " He knew we were watching him ! "

" Of course they'd be in the dorms. " Cloud added. " No one is there this early. Oh, Xaldin, Xigbar ! Come with us ! "

" Hello, Cloudy ! Hey, wait ! " the scared-face man said, running too, his friend doing the same. " What's the matter ? "

" No time to explain. Just follow. " the blonde man commanded.

------

" You bastard !! You're doing that again ! Let go !! " Sora shouted, trying to hit the man.

" So, you remember now ? You should thank me. " he said, nibbling the teen's earlobe.

" S-stop ! " the brunette almost whispered. His legs were weak because of fear. Mr Smith took advantage of this and pushed Sora on his bed, pinning his wrists above his head with one hand. The teen looked horrified.

" I'm so unlucky when it comes to you. " the man said, kissing Sora's neck. " The first time I touched you, you ran away. " He left a trail of kisses, from his neck up to his jaw. " The second time, I almost got you but that stupid man had to be there. "

" Ow ! " the brunette exclaimed as he felt the teacher bitting his neck.

" This time will be the right one, though. No one's going to ruin our fun. " he said, his free hand going under the other's shirt. He leaned forward to whisper in the teen's ear. " I'm sorry if it is kind of rough, but you see, I've been waiting for this for so long. " He licked Sora's ear, making him tense up more than he already had. Mr Smith removed the brunette's shirt and noticed a small, almost disappeared, red mark on his stomach. He immediately recognized it as an old hickey and perfectly knew who did it. Burning with jealousy, he leaned forward and left a hickey on the teen's chest. Sora bit his lip, shaking his head vigorously. He couldn't move nor break free. He tried to make the other let go of his wrists but, like the first time, the grip only tightened. The man was about to leave another mark on the brunette's chest when he heard him talk.

" Help… " he whispred. His breath wasn't steady and he had sweat on his forehead. Never had he been scared like that before. " Help me ! " he shouted this time.

" No one can. " the man coldly said. " We're the only ones in the dorms right now. "

" …ku. "

" What ? " the man said, frowning.

" Riku, help me. " Sora whispered, almost crying now. His words made the man pale dangerously.

" Don't you dare saying his name before me ! " Mr Smith yelled, swaying an arm back to slap the brunette, which he couldn't do because someone caught his wrist. The same person made him get off of Sora and made him fall on the ground.

" I'LL KILL YOU !! " Cloud exclaimed.

" Don't, or else you'll be just like **this**. " Xaldin said, motioning to the brown-haired man. " We'll take care of him. " The three men made him get out of the room. Riku, who was waiting in the corridor with Roxas, glared at his now former teacher who did the same. Then, the teen ran in the room and saw Sora sitting on his bed, his face in his hands, sobbing. He saw the wound the crazy man did on his neck and greet his teeth. He also had marks on his wrists. Riku couldn't take it anymore and ran outside, anger burning deep within him. He had to take it out, and he wouldn't do it in front of his friend. That was the last thing he needed right now. Roxas looked at Sora and sat slowly beside him, rubbing his back.

" There, it's okay now. " he calmly said, though his voice was shacking from worry and anger.

" Roxas ! " the brunette exclaimed, his arms wrapping strongly around his cousin's waist. Roxas winced but said nothing, still rubbing his back.

" Everything is over now. You don't have to worry anymore. " the blonde whispered.

" I'm sorry. I know I'm hurting you right now, but I'd like to stay like this a bit longer. " the brunette quietly said.

" Don't worry about that, silly. I'll crush you back later. " Roxas teased.

------

Meanwhile, Riku was running like there was no tomorrow. That was the best way he found to make his anger drain. So, he ran until his legs wouldn't allow him to continue. And that felt great. He was really mad at himself, not being there for Sora when he really needed him. If only he went with him when they parted before going to class. But it was too late now. Fortunately, nothing bad happened, if one can say this. Indeed, Sora got hurt mentally and physically, and it would take some time to heal. Riku stopped running and sat on a bench. He was in the park where Sora and Kairi walked together before Christmas break. Did Sora remember it now ? The teen shuddered. If that was the case, then they weren't going out anymore. That's right, Roxas told him that once the brunette recovered his memories, he'd forget everything that happened during his amnesia. That meant they won't kiss, hug, spend nights sleeping next to each other anymore. They will just be **friends**. The silver-haired teen's stomach fell when he realized it all, realized that he'll have to put on a mask and hide his feelings. They grew a lot bigger and faster than he thought. Roxas was right after all : he should have stopped when he still could. Riku already liked Sora too much to just get over him. The marks the blue-eyed teen had on his body made him angry because it made the young boy cry, but also because someone else dared to touch **his** Sora. When did he begin to like him that much ? He didn't know, and it made his heart bleed so much that he almost wished he never liked him in the first place. He got up and walked back to the dorms, still lost in his thoughts. He met Xigbar on the way and he offered to walk to the dorms with him, which Riku gladly accepted.

" Why are you already back here ? I mean, I didn't think I'd see you so soon. "

" I don't like policemen. I only accompanied them to the police station and went back right away. " His cellphone rang and he answered it quickly. So, Riku wouldn't know what would happen to the old crazy man. He'll have to wait. Xigbar hung up, and sighed.

" Sorry kid, we'll have to walk faster. I must take Sora to the police station. They need him. "

" Can't they wait ? He's still really shocked by what just happened ! "

" I know, but it's like that. Now, hurry. " When they finally got to the brunette's room, he was still with Roxas, his face as white as a sheet as he went out of the bathroom.

" Xigbar, isn't the doctor still here ? It's the fifth time he throws up, he needs to take medicine ! " Roxas said, a worried expression on his face.

" We don't have time for that. " the black-haired man said, sighing. " Sora, come with me, we're going to the police station. " he added, tossing a coat to the brunette.

" No way ! " Roxas shouted. " He's going nowhere ! He needs to rest ! " the blonde said, standing before Sora to protect him.

" Roxas, move. " Xigbar said, pushing the blonde teen, and carried the brunette piggyback. Riku stopped Roxas from running after them when they exited the room.

" Let go, Riku ! You bastard, you're letting him take Sora there ?! " the blonde shouted, his arms waving to break free.

" Shut up. " He whispered. The blonde instantly calmed down and looked at Riku. He saw a small tear rolling down the green-eyed teen's cheek as he let go of him and went out of the room, closing the door behind him. Roxas took a look at the clock : Axel's lessons were almost finished. He leaved the room to go to his lover's classroom. More than ever, he needed to see him.


	11. Chapter 11

Disclaimer : Kingdom Hearts characters aren't mine.

Sora : Woa ! Look at that Riku ! She got a bad review ! Looks like someone is siding me ! Thanks a lot !!

Riku : My, that's right ! reading it

Me : Heh heh.. I'm sooo evil !

Sora : Yeah, that was mean ! And I thought you didn't hate me !

Me : I don't. But don't worry, it wasn't just for fun. You'll thank me later !

Riku and Sora : Really ?

Me : Yep.

Riku and Sora :….

Me : Anyway, thanks a lot for your reviews Anna ! And thanks everyone for reading this !

------

The next day, Misaki came to the dormitory to take Sora home until he felt better. A week had passed since the brunette left. Nobody dared to ask Roxas about him, and they didn't even think of talking about Sora to Riku, for he wasn't feeling well lately. While talking to him, Roxas learned why he was so depressed and, as he thought, it was related to his cousin.

" How can I face him as a mere friend ? Maybe it would be better not to talk to him anymore and forget about everything. " the silver-haired teen suggested.

" Why don't you leave the country while you're at it ? " the blonde said, green eyes looking at him, confused. " Really, you're saying stupid things ! Even if you were able to stay away from Sora, he'd run after you until you tell him why you rejected him. Wouldn't that be much more difficult than pretending he's just a friend ? "

" I don't know. " the other replied. Roxas heaved a sigh.

" Anyway, I bet he's coming back soon. " Axel said. " So, you'd better cheer up fast. "

" Easier said than done. " the others replied.

------

Meanwhile, Sora was in the living room, reading. He was lying on the couch, cookies and a glass of milk on the coffee table. He didn't dare to move an inch, for Misaki would barge in and tell him to rest. The brunette sighed, put the book on the table and took a cookie.

" Home made cookies are the best ! " he cheerfully said as he took a bite.

" Oooh ! Look who's coming ! " he heard his mother say in the kitchen. He saw her going in the entrance corridor and call someone. " Come in, come in ! " she said as the person entered, as he assumed. Sora heard footsteps coming in his direction and sat up to see who was there.

" Leon ! " he exclaimed, getting up.

" Hi. " the tall brunette said.

" Sora ! I told you not to move ! " Misaki exclaimed, pouting.

" It's okay, mom. It's not like I'm sick. " the blue-eyed boy said, pulling Leon by the arm. " We'll be in my bedroom ! " he added as he went upstairs, followed by a troubled brunette. They sat on each side of the small couch. " So, what's up ? " Sora asked. Leon looked at him, frowning.

" I heard about what happened to you last week. "

" Oh. " the younger boy simply replied, looking the other way.

" I was worried sick and that's why I came today. At least, that's one of the reasons. "

" I'm fine now. " Sora said, scratching his neck where he still had a mark left by Mr Smith. " What's the other rea-." He stopped talking when the tall brunette caught his wrist to move his hand so that he could kiss him on his neck's mark. The blue-eyed boy's body tensed up but he didn't move nor tried to stop the other.

" I'm sorry I couldn't be there to help you. " Leon whispered in his friend's ear. His hands cupped the teen's face and he kissed him. " I love you. " Leon said as he broke the kiss. The young brunette's eyes widened. " I'm leaving for quite a long time, and I… I wanted to ask you if you'd want to follow me. "

" That-that's sudden. Both. " Sora said, looking at his feet.

" I've liked you for many years and I couldn't hold it back anymore. " Leon made the teen look at him, then continued. " You know I need an answer. "

" I-I don't know. When are you leaving ? "

" On Monday. "

" So early ?! But there are only 4 days left ! " The younger boy bit his lip, not knowing what to say.

" Sora, do you like me ? "

" Of-of course but… " He glanced at Leon, who nodded as a sign to continue. " …but just as a friend. " To his surprise, the other smiled, though it was evident the answer hurt him.

" Thought so. " They didn't say anything for almost a minute. Leon wasn't looking at Sora anymore.

" I'm sorry. " the smaller boy said.

" You don't have to be. It can't be helped. " The young man shrugged as he talked. He got up and began to walk towards the door but froze midway. " Can I ask you a favor ? "

" Sure, go ahead. " Sora answered, getting up and standing behind the other, who turned to face his younger friend.

" May I…give you one last kiss ? If you don't want to, I won't hold a grudge against you, so just-."

" Okay. " Sora said, coming closer. " But I'd like to ask you something too. "

" Of course. "

" Can we still be friends ? " The tall brunette couldn't help but laugh. " Of course, silly ! " The small brunette pouted. Leon bent down and pressed his lips against Sora's. His hands on the small teen's waist, he pulled him closer and asked for entrance to deepen the kiss. Sora complied and opened his mouth, letting the other explore him, and he did the same as soon as he got the chance. They broke the kiss, both needing air, and Leon looked at Sora suspiciously.

" That wasn't your first kiss, was it ? "

" Well, that was my first **real** kiss. " the blue-eyed teen replied but the other's expression didn't change.

" It seemed like you did it many times though. Well, it's not my busyness I guess. " Sora noticed a hint of jealousy in his older friend's voice but said nothing. That really was his first kiss. If it wasn't, he'd remember it, right ? Leon left, saying a quick " goodbye " before closing the door. He went downstairs, where a worried Misaki was waiting for him.

" So ? How did it go ? " she asked.

" Like I told you. I got rejected. "

" I'm really sorry. " she said, taking the young man's hand in hers. " Do you need anything ? "

" I'll be okay. Thanks a lot for your support during all this time. " Leon said, smiling gently before he left.

------

The bell rang and indicated that the last hour for the week's lessons just ended. Pupils quickly ran out of the classroom, Roxas following them more slowly. The new art teacher was such a pain in the ass ! She kept yelling at him because he couldn't draw well. Like it was his fault ! Women… He was walking back to the dorms, his head full of thoughts. He had no news about his cousin and it made him worry. Was he feeling well ? When would he come back ? The dorm felt boring without anyone to tease or to talk to. And Riku's state was getting worse each day. He didn't even come to school that day. Yeah, it was high time the cheerful brunette came back ! Axel tried his best to change their minds, so did the small group of friends working in both school and dormitory, but to no avail. Roxas searched for his keys in his bag, grabbed them and tried to open his room's door.

" Now, what's wrong with these stupid keys ?! " he angrily said.

" It's open ! " he heard a familiar voice say. Not believing his ears, the blonde opened the door quickly and saw a small brunette unpacking.

" Sora ! You're back ! " He beamed as he jumped on his cousin, knocking both of them down.

" I'm glad you're happy to see me but you're heavy, you know. " the brunette said.

" That's right ! Come with me ! " the other exclaimed, not paying attention. He pulled the brunette towards Riku and Axel's room. " They'll be glad to see you, especially Riku ! Oh my gosh, Sora ! You can't imagine how much he missed you ! "

" Really ? " the brunette asked, blinking. He didn't know the silver-haired boy and him were this close. Of course he missed Riku, but not as much as the other seemed to. Roxas didn't bother to knock on the teen's door before entering the room.

" Riku ! Look who's back ! " the blonde teen exclaimed. Sora entered and saw his friend lying on his bed, staring blankly at the ceiling. He looked really down. Was it really because he had to go back home for the week ? Anyway, aquamarine eyes stared at Sora's figure for a moment and then widened. Without saying a single word, the other got up and ran in the brunette's direction, his arms wrapping around his thin waist to hug him. Sora heard him saying somethin but didn't understand. He asked Riku if he could repeat but the other motioned to his throat as he pulled away. The brunette frowned and hugged the other again, surprising him. Roxas watched them, speechless.

" I knew it. " the teen said as he broke the hug and put a hand on his friend's forehead. " You have a fever. You should rest for now. " he added, helping him to go back in bed. " If you're not careful, you'll never get better, you know ! " Sora frowned as he put blankets on Riku, earning a kind smile in the process.

" I didn't think you would go as far as to make yourself sick because of this. " Roxas said, sighing. He was referring to the silver-haired teen's problem concerning Sora. Riku shook the head. " Oh, so you just caught a cold ? And a bad one at that. " Riku smiled weakly.

" I'll stay here and watch him. " the brunette said, sitting on his friend's bed edge. " If I take good care of him, he'll feel better in no time ! " He smiled at Riku and got up to bring his friend water. " I'll be right back ! " he exclaimed and left. Roxas waited, making sure Sora wouldn't hear him, and talked.

" Are you going to be okay ? " The other nodded. " I'll keep my promise and help you. You'll see, he'll be in love with you pretty soon ! " Riku laughed and mouthed the blonde " thanks ".

Sora met many of his friends on his way to the cafeteria, all asking if he was feeling better – it looked like the teachers told his classmates that he was sick. When he could finally get out of the cafeteria, almost half an hour had passed. He walked faster but soon slowed down when he saw Zexion.

" Zexion ! " he called, walking towards the man, who turned back.

" Hi Sora. I'm glad you finally came back. " he greeted the teen. " Don't tell me you're going to drink all that water by yourself ? " he added, eyeing the jug the brunette was holding.

" It's for Riku. " Sora answered.

" I heard he was sick. Do you mind if I come with you ? "

" Of course not ! " He beamed and walked towards his friend's room. He walked in after he knocked on the door quickly and what he saw made him go blind for a few seconds. Riku was standing next to his bed and was getting changed. The silver-haired teen turned the head and gulped when he saw the brunette litteraly **staring** at him wearing nothing but his boxers.

" What are you waiting for ? Just go in ! " the blue-haired man said, a little annoyed, and pushed the brunette in the room, closing the door behind him. Surprised by Sora's lack of reaction, he glanced at Riku who wasn't moving either. " You're drooling. " he said.

" What ?! " the brunette exclaimed, rubbing his mouth with the back of his hand. " Liar, I'm not ! " he said as he turned to face Zexion who was smirking.

" But I had to do something. You were embarrassing Riku. The poor kid didn't know what to do anymore. " He moved to the side to dodge the pillow that was thrown at him. He looked at his brother and frowned. " You're awfully silent. " he said.

" He has lost his voice. " Sora answered, walking towards his friend's bedside table to put the jug on it, while Riku lied on his bed, now fully dressed. " Are you thirsty ? " the brunette asked. The silver-haired boy shook his head no.

" Well, you don't look too sick. I think you'll be fine. Take care ! " Zexion said before he left the room, leaving the two boys alone. The brunette pulled a chair next to Riku's bed and sat, a preoccupied look on his face. Of course, the green-eyed boy noticed it and, after a whole minute of utter silence, he put a hand on the brunette's knee.

" Yes ? " Sora asked, lifting the head. Riku motioned to the other, trying to make him understand that he was worried and wanted him to talk about it. Several minutes later, the blue-eyed boy finally got the message.

" I-I don't want to bother you with it. " he said, slightly blushing, which made Riku frown even more. He pulled on the brunette's sleeve to show him he wanted him to talk. Sora sighed but still explained everything that happened between him and Leon the day before. " I'm so sad we left like this. " the blue-eyed teen said. " Do you think he'll hate me now ? " Riku felt sorry for Leon, but was also happy. No one was trying to steal Sora so he could take his time to seduce – no – to make the cute brunette like him back, so that they could be together and… Sora looked at Riku who seemed lost in his thoughts all of a sudden. Clearing his throat, he made him snap back into reality. Then, he remembered the brunette was waiting for an answer to his question, and he shook his head no.

" It would be great. " Sora said, but he was still frowning. " You know, he said something strange when we kissed. Actually, I'm kind of proud of it ! " He beamed, his cheeks rosy.

" What did 'he' tell you ? " Sora turned to face Roxas, who came back with Axel.

" Welcome back ! " the red-head said, waving at the brunette.

" Leon came yesterday. " He explained everything once again. Roxas said nothing for a moment.

" And what is that strange thing he said ? "

" You see… " the brunette said, smiling. " It looks like I'm a good kisser. He said it wasn't my first kiss – which is quite right – but it was a **real **one and I don't remember having kissed someone else like that ! " He laughed a bit, not seeing that Roxas was glancing at Riku. The silver-haired teen looked quite down and he could understand why. And then, when he thought about his cousin's words, something didn't seem right.

" Who did you give your first kiss to ? " the blonde asked.

" What ? " the brunette replied.

" You said it wasn't your first 'fake' kiss. "

" Oh, that ! Well-" Sora looked quickly at Riku, then at his feet.

" _He's so easy to understand._ " Roxas thought, knowing who his cousin looked at before turning a deep red. " Wait a minute. Didn't Kairi kiss you too ? " His cousin blinked a few times.

" I **totally** forgot about it ! Why did you make me remember that ?! " he exclaimed, pouting.

" Sorry. I didn't know you'd prefer to think you gave it to Riku. " the blonde teased. The silver-haired teen's eyes widened, seeing the other didn't reply.

------

A month later, everything was back to normal. Pupils weren't sending Sora strange glances anymore - some knew what really happened and were teasing the brunette about it but he and his friends always made them stop, and it was efficient especially since Laexus was one of Sora's friends. When the brunette came back, Laexus told him he ditched Kairi and that he was grateful that Sora made him realize how stupid it was to stay with her. Hopefully, Roxas explained to his cousin what happened between him and Laexus, or else he wouldn't have understood what was happening. At first, it felt awkward to have him around but they soon got along well. When Sora thought about it, it was a long time since he saw the red-haired girl… and it wasn't that bad !

" Today is such a great day ! It's sunny and we don't have class this afternoon ! How could it be any better ? " Riku cheerfully said. Seeing his friend's enthusiasm made Sora laugh.

" Sora !!! " Roxas called from behind them, running in their direction, holding a newspaper. " This…read ! " he said, panting. Sora took it and read the article his cousin pointed to. It was talking about Mr Smith. Riku came closer and read with the brunette. It said that the teacher tried to abuse a pupil – Sora was grateful they didn't give his name – and that the trial ended with Mr Smith being judged guilty and sent to jail for some time.

" This can't be real ! " the brunette exclaimed, smiling ear to ear. He jumped in his cousin's arms and then bounced around them.

" Calm down ! Everyone's looking at- " Riku began but was speechless when he saw Roxas imitating the other. They were just crazy !

" We're throwing a party tonight to celebrate ! " the blonde said once he calmed down. " Will you come, Riku ? "

" Sure. " the green-eyed boy replied.

" Hey, look at that ! " the brunette exclaimed. " There's a writing contest ! " He read the article entirely and added : " Maybe I should enter it. "

" Of course you should ! I'm sure you'd win ! " the blonde said.

" Do you think so ? " the brunette asked.

" Aren't essays a piece of cake for you ? " Riku said, grinning.

" It won't be so easy this time. " Sora replied. He thought for a few minutes, then said : " It's decided ! I'm entering it ! "

------

The day passed fast, everyone waiting for the evening to come. Yeah, **everyone**, because Axel and his big mouth couldn't resist talking to the small group about their little fiesta, thus adding Xaldin, Marluxia and Zexion to the list. No need to say that the two cousins' room was cramped with so many people in it. They had to move the beds to make some space. Xaldin and Marluxia brought beer, while Zexion choose to bring fruit juice, which Sora appreciated since he didn't like beer that much. Axel had already drank three cans and was begining to get a bit drunk ; Xaldin and Marluxia were completely drunk, just like Riku who couldn't stand alcohol that well ; Zexion and Sora were drinking juice so they didn't care how many glasses they had drank ; and Roxas was at his sixth can of beer and was still sober. It was a mystery how he could do that… While Sora talked with Zexion, Xaldin stole his glass to put some beer in it, and thought some juice would cover the alcohol's taste. And it looked like it worked since the brunette drank it without grimacing. He repeated it many times but Sora never seemed to get drunk. Was it hereditary ? Around midnight, people went back to their rooms.

" Good night guys ! " Roxas whispered, so that he wouldn't wake the other students.

" Ya ! See ya tomorrow kid ! " Marluxia almost yelled, not as much concerned as Roxas, and walked away with Xaldin, both laughing loudly. The blonde had to make them leave because they needed to rest, which the men wouldn't understand. Now, only one problem remained.

" Riku, let go ! We have to go back. **Now**. " Axel commanded, but the silver-haired teen only pouted.

" No. " he answered. He had hugged Sora about an hour ago and never wanted let go of him since then, no matter what one told him. Seeing Axel coming closer, he tightened his grip, making Sora's face turning a deep shade of red.

" Riku ! Stop acting like a child and stop bothering Sora ! " the red head said, annoyed. The silver-haired teen looked at Sora.

" Am I really bothering you ? " Sora looked up at Riku and saw him looking at him with puppy-like eyes. On one hand, he didn't want to make him sad, but on the other hand, he didn't want to die so young.

" Need air. Let go. " Sora managed to say. Green eyes got teary and the silver-haired boy rested his head on the other's shoulder.

" Waaaaaaaah ! I knew it ! You don't like meeeeeeeeeeee ! " Riku suddenly yelled, making the others jump.

" Axel, do something ! **Anything !** " Roxas told his lover, but the red head didn't know what to do at all. Maybe it would be for the best to let him have his ways with Sora…. No way !!!

" Okay, I tried to be kind but it looks like it won't work ! I'm sorry but I don't have another choice ! " Axel said, putting a hand on Sora's shoulder to make Riku let go of him, but he quickly removed it. " He tried to bite me !!! " he exclaimed, running and hiding behind Roxas while Riku glared at them. What to do now ?

" Okay, I'll sleep in Axel's room. Good luck, Sora ! " the blonde said, running out of the room, followed by his boyfriend. The brunette gulped, taking note of this and already thinking about a way of making them pay for their betrayal ! He noticed Riku's grip loosened and tried to move away but the other didn't want to let him go.

" Come on, Riku ! Let go now ! They're gone, you don't have to worry about them, they won't try to separate us. " the blue-eyed boy tried, but to no avail. He heaved a sigh. He was exhausted. The last thing he wanted was a koala boy clinging to him, even if said boy was pretty hot, and that it felt nice being held by him…but that was not the point here. " Okay. Well, I…er-" Sora rambled, not knowing what to do anymore. Roxas and Axel were so going to pay for that ! Tomorrow, he'd find them and then beat the… " Wah ! " he exclaimed as he felt the other's hands moving slowly, aiming for the lower part of Sora's back. " No ! You can't do that ! " the brunette exclaimed, pinching Riku's hand. It felt ridiculous, but at least, it worked….Like hell he'd give up so easily ! Hands began to sneak their way again and decided to ignore the pinches they were getting. The brunette clenched the teeth, and tried to think of a way to calm the other.

" _Whattodowhattodowhattodowhattodo…_ " Okay, that wasn't really working well. He always reacted badly towards pressure. Maybe it would be better to wait until the silver-haired boy got bored and stopped… but it could go pretty far, seeing he was now shirtless and lying on his bed.

" What ?! " Sora exclaimed, looking at himself. He was so lost in his thoughts he didn't notice the green-eyed boy was going at **it** ! And when he was about to…do something to stop the drunken boy, said boy stopped moving and began snoring softly. " Ri-Riku ? " the brunette dared. No reply. " Are you asleep ? " Still no reply. The blue-eyed teen heaved a sigh, and made the other lie beside him as he put the blankets on them both. He wanted to sleep in Roxas' bed but when he tried to get up, his asleep friend caught his wrist and mumbled something. Figuring he wouldn't be able to move, he lied and fell asleep too.

------

Rays of light were coming in the room when aquamarine eyes took a look. Riku just woke up, feeling funny. He remembered going to a party in Sora's room, drinking some beer,and that was all.

" Ouch. " he said as he sat up. He was going to have a bad headache. He looked around him but didn't recognize his room. " How come ? " he wondered aloud. Then, he heard soft mumbles and looked down beside him. Sora was still asleep, curled up next to the silver-haired teen who blushed like mad. How come Sora was sleeping in the same bed as him ? And **shirtless** at that ! Riku frowned when he saw many hickeys on his younger friend's chest. What else did he do ? Riku smacked his forehead with the palm of his hand, remembering too late that he had a headache. He tried to cover the sound of his voice, cursing, but still woke the other up.

" Riku ? What's wrong ? " Sora asked, his voice and eyes still sleepy. Such a cute view made the older teen blush hard and made him unable to say a single word. Worried, Sora sat up and put a hand on his friend's forehead. " You don't seem to have a feveeeeer… " he said, yawning as he finished his sentence. He scratched the back of his head, waiting for the other to answer. Riku opened his mouth to say something, not really thinking, his mind focused on the cute little brunette before him.

" Hickeys. " he said, and immediately thought " _How smart ! You could have said 'good morning', or anything else but no, you had to say this instead ! He'll think I'm weird !_ "

" Oh, these. " Sora said, looking at his chest. " They're yours. I'm glad you fell asleep after you left them, 'cause I didn't know how far you'd go. And it seemed like you were wanting to go **pretty far**. " Riku looked away.

" I'm sorry. " he almost whispered.

" It's okay. It's not like it was the first time you fell asleep on me anyway. " the brunette said, laughing softly. Seeing confused aquamarine eyes looking at him, he explained. " On New Year's Eve, you also drank too much and fell on me while we were talking in my bedroom. Mom had nothing better to do than take a picture.. " the blue-eyed boy added, pouting.

" _So, that was where the photo came from !_ " Riku thought. The brunette yawned again and got off the bed, stretching his arms above his head. Now that he looked at him without any shirt on him, Riku noticed how Sora's hips curves looked almost like a girl's. He felt the back of his hands hurting a bit and saw bruises on them. Now, where did these come from ? Seeing the silver-haired boy's puzzled look, the brunette said :

" You were trying to grope my ass, and I tried to stop you. That was useless since you managed to do it anyway. " Sora shrugged. " It's okay, don't worry about it. You'll also pay for this later. " He grinned and went in the bathroom, leaving a confused Riku.

------

In the end, they didn't go to school at all that day, for they woke up way too late. When Roxas came back in his room, he got yelled at by his angry cousin. Sora was mad because he left him with a pretty horny Riku and also because he sleep in the same room as Axel.

" It wouldn't be strange if Axel were to grope me since we're going out. But I don't think you and Riku are, right ? "

" It's – he was drunk, that's all ! "

" Yeah, and that makes it weirder ! You know how people use to say that one reveals his true self when under alcohol's effects. " Roxas teased. They didn't know how true that was. He hoped his cousin would take it seriously. He did, but not the way he wanted him to. Sora just replied that there was **no way** Riku would want something like this to happen and left. He didn't know how wrong he was to think that, and he wouldn't know it before long.


	12. Chapter 12

**Disclaimer **: same as always.

**A/N :** Be happy 'cause I posted another chapter ! XD I won't tell who it is, but another character makes his/her appearance ! It's the poor Riku who will be glad ! ;

Misaki : By the way, when will I come back ? I only made a quick appearance – if one can say it was one – in the last chapter !

Becca86 : Maybe we'll see you soon. evil grin Anyway, thanks a lot for your support Anna ! You can't imagine how happy I am to read your reviews ! They always make me smile and encourage me ! You'll find a thank you gift at the end of the chapter ! I think you'll like it. Enjoy everyone !

------

Sora was going back to the dorms. He went in town to post the story he managed to write in one week – the deadline was due in the middle of April so he didn't have that much time left.

« Will it be okay ? Maybe they'll think the story is crappy… What if they don't like it ? Now that I think about it, some passages aren't that good. I should go back, ask them to give my letter back and change them… » he whispered as he walked. He scratched the back of his head and decided to stop thinking about it. What was done was done. Besides, people were giving him strange glances, hearing him talking to himself.

« Sora ? » he heard a girl calling. He turned back and frowned.

« Kairi… » he coldly replied as the girl ran in his direction. They went back to the dormitory together, not really talking to each other.

« How are you ? Are you feeling better ? » she asked. How great. He loved small talks so much !

« Yeah. » he replied, not looking at her. Kairi looked at the ground and bit her lip, clearly thinking about what she could say. In fact, she knew axactly what she had to say.

« Thank you. » she whispered.

« What for ? » Sora replied, looking at her suspiciously. What was she scheming this time ?

« The other time, when you ditched me. » Was he hearing things or did she just **thank** him for being a bastard ? « Laexus dumped me after that. And you know what ? It made me realize why I used to cheat on him so many times. »

« Did it ? » Sora nervously asked, having a bad feeling.

« I was simply afraid of being alone. »

« Excuse me ? » Now, that didn't make sense at all ! « But you weren't alone ! You had Laexus ! »

« Yeah but… How do I say it ? I was so afraid we'd break up that I tried to find someone else who could be with me if it ever happened. »

« He wouldn't have broken up with you if you hadn't cheated on him in the first place. » the brunette bluntly told her.

« I understood that too late. » she said. They were in front of the dormitory 's gates, and she stopped walking, looking at the building. After a while, she turned to look at Sora, smiling softly. « I'll be searching for that one person to who I'll be totally faithfull » She took a small envelope out of her coat's pocket and handed it to Sora. « Could you give this to him ? Please. » The brunette took it and nodded. « You're kind, Sora. Too bad I already made you hate me, or else I think you could have been the one ! » She winked at him and ran towards the dorm's front doors to disappear inside of the building. Sora heaved a sigh and smiled.

« She'll never stop surprising me. » he said and shrugged. He looked at the sky, holding a hand up to protect his eyes from the sunlight. The weather was too nice to stay in a room all day, so he decided to go to the park to walk. He didn't care if he was alone, as long as he was outside. He didn't remember the last time he had this opportunity, which made his stroll even better. He looked at a group of kids playing and laughing together. He unconsciously smiled at them. Then, he saw one of them running in his direction. As the kid came closer, he recognized her.

« Yuna ! » he exclaimed happily. He lifted her up as she wrapped her small arms around his neck.

« Sora ! I'm so happy to see you ! » she said and kissed him on the cheek.

« So am I. » he replied, kissing her too. He looked up and saw a blonde man walking in his direction.

« Yuna, who is this boy ? » the man asked, a worried look on his face as he glanced at the brunette carrying the little girl.

« It's Sora, uncle ! He's Riku's friend. » she told him.

« Oh, I see. You scared me, running like that. » he said, seeming relieved. « I am Yuna and Riku's uncle, Ansem. » Ansem seemed to be in his late thirties, had blonde hair, a small blonde beard and he was wearing casual but still expensive-looking clothes.

« I am pleased to meet you, sir. I am Sora. » the brunette replied, earning a smile from the blonde man.

« No need to call me 'sir'. Just call me Ansem. »

« Sora ! Come and play with us ! » Yuna asked.

« But Yuna, maybe Sora is busy right now. » her uncle replied.

« Pleeeeeeaaaase ! » she insisted, puppy eyes looking at the teen.

« Alright, I'll play. » Sora cheerfully answered. He put Yuna down on the ground and followed her on the grass.

« Guys, this is Sora ! » the little brunette said to her friends.

« Hi, Sora ! » everyone said, some smiling and some coming closer to him to pull on his sleeves to make him come with them.

« Hello kids ! » the brunette replied, walking towards the group.

« Okay, here are the games' rules ! » a boy said. Everyone surrounded him as Sora squatted down. « We'll make two teams and play football ! And – »

« No, we already played it last week ! And I don't want to play football. » a girl said, other kids nodding.

« What do we play, then ? » Yuna asked.

« Let's ask Sora ! » a girl said as everyone's eyes looked at said boy. Sora tapped his chin with his index finger, deep in thought.

« I know ! I'll think about something, anything, and I'll give you hints about it. I'll ask one of you to come and whisper your answer in my ear. If you are wrong, you'll have to take my place. How's that ? »

« It will be boring if we just do that. » a boy said.

« I know, I know ! » a boy holding a ball exclaimed. « If we're wrong, we'll have to catch someone to make him or her take our place ! »

« Sounds great ! » Sora said. « But I'll just add a few rules to that ! First, you'll have ten seconds to do that. Second, you can't catch the one who just made you find the object he or she thought about. »

« Who will begin ? » Yuna asked.

« I will ! » the tall brunette exclaimed, as excited as the small kids around him. Ansem smiled as he watched them, then continued reading his book. After what seemed like several minutes – in fact, three hours had passed – he was interrupted.

« Hi uncle ! » The blonde man lifted his head.

« Good afternoon, Riku. You came with your friends ? »

« Yes. Since they were bored, I took them here. » Riku replied, grinning.

« The truth is he didn't want to come alone. » Roxas added, Axel nodding in agreement beside him, then they both waved at Ansem.

« I see. » the man replied, smiling.

« Where is Yuna ? » the silver-haired boy asked.

« She's playing. » his uncle replied, pointing to the group of kids.

« Look at that tall boy playing with them ! He seems to have as much fun as the kids . » Axel said, grinning.

« It's Sora ! » Roxas exclaimed. « That dumbass ! I was worried sick ! » Then, he ran in his cousin's direction, lecturing him at the same time. When Sora saw his cousin's angry face, he stuck his tongue out at him and ran away, Roxas running after him with the kids.

« Aren't they cute ? » the red head boy asked, making Riku laugh.

« Sora is a good kid. Yuna talks a lot about him when she comes to my house. » Ansem said, looking at the children who surrounded the brunette to stop him from running.

« Oh, so she's the fiancée Roxas told me about. » Axel said. « But she's still too young for Sora. » he joked.

« There's **no way** I'll let that happen. » Riku stated, crossing his arms to his chest.

« I didn't know you could be so over-protective, Riku. » the blonde man said, laughing a bit. « Even a boy like Sora wouldn't be okay ? » he joked.

« It's precisely because she chose Sora that I won't allow it. »

« You know, he saw him first. » Axel commented, earning a glare from the other teen.

« Oh, I see. » Ansem said, nodding.

« Uncle… » Riku said, a bit worried. Damn that Axel ! He never misses a chance to blunder.

« Do not worry, Riku. It's okay. » He turned to face his nephew. « Now, tell me. When and how did you begin to like him ? » he asked, smirking. Riku blinked a few times and laughed nervously.

« Well, that's a long story. » he lied. He didn't want to talk about it in a place where anybody could hear about his love life. It was a private matter after all !

« Alright. » the man replied, understanding why his nephew didn't want to tell him. « We'll talk about that next time, I guess. » He stood up and stretched his arms above his head. « Yuna, it's time to go ! » he called. The little girl looked at him and ran in his uncle's direction, waving at her friends. Everybody went back after they said their goodbyes as the night was slowly beginning to fall.

« I had so much fun ! I should go back there one of these days ! » Sora said, smiling from ear to ear.

« Uncle seems to like you a lot. That's a great thing. » Riku said, smiling at the brunette.

« Really ? He looks really kind ! I'd love to be like him later ! He has good looks, he seems pretty calm and intelligent too ! If he were my age, he'd be totally my type ! » Sora cheerfully said.

« Sora, you talk like a girl. » Roxas said, a disgusted look on his face.

« A scary one at that. » Axel added. « You know, like those who hit on men who could be their father. »

« Shit ! I forgot about Kairi's letter ! » the brunette exclaimed, running towards the dormitory.

« Yeah, she's the kind of girl I was talking about. » the red head said.

------

A few days later, Kairi left the school. Not many people actually cared about it – some were even happy when they learned about it. She managed to give her phone number to Sora to keep contact with him, which he gladly accepted. Leon called him and told him that the town he stayed in was pretty big, and that he had a great appartment with his coach. The teen regretted he had declined to follow with him, but that would have meant he agreed to go out with Leon, which he couldn't do since he considered him as nothing more than a good friend. Anyway, Roxas, Riku and him were in History class and how surprised were they when they heard the news their teacher brought with him.

« Good morning everyone. Please, go back to your seats. » The students did what they were told to. « Alright, we're having a new student. »

« This late in the year ? » Lena said.

« Yes. If you want more informations, you'll have to ask him in person. You can come in. » he called. A boy with blonde hair hidden under a black hat, and a scar on his face came in the classroom, an almsot evil-looking smile on his face. He stood next to the teacher, cleared his throat and introduced himself.

« Hi guys ! I'm Seifer. I just moved out into town and I'll be continuing my studies with you. I hope you don't mind, and if you do, well I don't really care. That's all. » His speech had its effects. Almost everyone found Seifer too arrogant – and that included Roxas and Riku, of course. Sora, on his side, found him funny.

« Do you need someone to show you around school ? » the teacher asked the blonde boy.

« Well… » he said, looking at the pupils. His gaze stopped on someone and his smile widened. « I want **him** to help me. » he finally said, pointing to someone.

« Alright, Sora. You'll help him for some time. Now, go take a seat. » the man said before talking about the country's economic crisis. Seifer took a seat next to the brunette and crossed his arms behind his head, not bothering to take his stuff out of his bag.

« So, you're Sora ? » Seifer asked.

« Yep. » the brunette replied, taking notes in his notebook. He was bitting his lip as he wrote. Probably a mannerism.

« You'll hurt yourself if you keep biting your lip like that. » the blonde said. Roxas and Riku glanced at him and frowned. Seifer had a hand shoved in his trousers' pocket and his other arm rested on Sora's chair's back – and the brunette didn't seem to notice it.

« Biting my lip ? I wasn't. » the blue-eyed teen said.

« You were. I saw you. »

« Maybe. » Sora shrugged and kept writing in his notebook. Seifer leaned and whispered in the brunette's ear.

« It would be a shame to ruin such a cute face. » He made sure to brush his lips slightly against the other's ear and laughed a bit when he saw the small teen's face turnig a deep shade of red. He was so much fun ! When the blonde teen leaned backwards, he saw the brunette's friends glaring at him. Now, that was getting more and more interesting.

------

Seifer kept following Sora everywhere all day long. He would have followed him in the toilets if he could.

« I HATE HIM ! » Riku shouted as he slammed the door to his dorm shut, making Axel jump.

« Are you nuts ?! You almost gave me a heart attack ! » the poor red head exclaimed. He watched Riku throwing himself onto his bed and giving his pillow dark glares. « I don't think that poor pillow did something to you, so why don't you explain what's wrong ? » he added.

« There's this new guy who's hitting on Sora, and it gets on my nerves. Damn, he doesn't even know him and he's all sweet and loving towards him ! » The silver-haired teen grabbed his pillow and threw it against the door. Axel heaved a sigh.

« It's hight time you make moves on him. »

« What ? » the silver-haired teen asked, blinking in surprise. « But-»

« You know he likes boys, so all that's left for you to do is to show him your love. »

« How can I do that ? – I mean without freaking him out. » Riku thought for a moment. « How did you do with Roxas ? »

« You don't want to know that. » Axel said.

« Why ? »

« You're just too delicate for that. » Silence filled the room for a moment.

« Come on, Axel ! I need your help ! Even if I can't do what you did, it could at least give me some ideas ! » Riku said, sitting up on his bed. The red head scratched the back of his head and sat down on Riku's bed, next to his friend.

« Okay, where do I begin… The first time, I tried to grope his pretty ass but that didn't work – and it still doesn't. »

« I don't need the details, thanks. » the green-eyed teen said, feeling sorry for his blonde friend.

« After that, I tried to pin him against almost everything, but he didn't like that either. Thankfully, he's less reluctant to that now. »

« **No details**, please ! »

« So, I tried to kiss him when he didn't expect it to happen, but that didn't work. I was short on ideas, so I tried to grope him again and got punched in the end. » Riku had a stunned expression on his face. It looked like his younger friend had a hard time dealing with his horny boyfriend… Poor guy. « And then, I had the best idea I ever had in my entire life ! » Axel exclaimed, bringing the other back into reality.

« And…that was ? » he asked nervously.

« I asked him out. »

« And he accepted ?! » Riku exclaimed, sounding more surprised than he wanted to. The red-haired boy frowned.

« Of course. I knew he wouldn't reject me. I already knew it deep within me. »

« You're so full of yourself. » the silver-haired teen said, looking disgusted.

« No, it's not that. I really **felt** it. » Riku thought for a moment, not really getting his roommate's message. But, at least, all his ramblings gave him an idea. Axel's eyebrows arched as he watched his friend smirk.

------

« Hot spring ? We have that here ? » Sora asked. The cafeteria was almost empty, which was to be expected on week-ends.

« Yeah, we have. I'd love to go there but I don't know anyone to go there with me. » Riku said.

« You should have asked me, I would have agr-» Axel said but stopped talking as the green-eyed teen kicked him, under the table.

« So, how does it sound ? » Riku asked. The brunette thought for a moment, then looked at Riku, his eyes shining with excitement.

« Sounds great to me ! I'd love to go with you ! I never went in a hot spring before. That will be so much fun ! »

« What a coincidence ! I never went in one either. » The four boys – Roxas wasn't talking for he was eating ice cream, a moment that should be blessed with utter silence – turned to look at the one who just talked. It only took a few seconds for Riku's anger to rise.

« Hi Seifer ! How are you ? » Sora asked, beaming.

« I'm fine, thanks. » the blonde replied, taking a seat next to Sora. « When do you plan on going ? »

« You want to come with us ? » the brunette asked, to his silver-haired friend's disappointment.

« I don't want to bother you. » Seifer politely replied.

« _Yeah, right ! Don't come !_ » Riku thought.

« You won't ! Right, guys ? » Sora asked the others. Axel and Roxas looked at Riku – which didn't go unnoticed by a certain blonde boy – who slowly nodded after a few seconds.

« I thought we could go tonight. » he said. Everyone nodded in agreement and the brunette thanked him, then kept talking with Seifer.

------

Since the hot spring wasn't too far from their dorm, they walked there. Sora was walking beside his new friend, while the three other boys walked farther behind them.

« We'll try to keep him busy so you can have some time alone with Sora. I don't know if it'll be easy, but we'll do our best ! » Roxas promised, Axel nodding in agreement.

« Tonight is your chance, Riku ! Don't waste it ! » the red head added.

« And don't go doing things like Axel did to me. Sora won't like it **at all**, even coming from you. » the blue-eyed teen said, slightly glaring at his lover who coughed nervously. In the changing room, Roxas noticed – to his surprise – that his cousin glanced at Riku many times, and he wondered why he seemed so interested. He was interrupted in his thoughts when Seifer asked Sora :

« What's that little scar on your neck ? » Everyone – except the brunette – sent him nervous glances. The blonde gulped. Did he say something wrong ? He didn't know about Sora's accident and he wasn't going to hear about it.

« It's nothing. I got it when I was a child. I don't really remember about it. » Sora lied. Once more, he glanced at Riku who only had a towel around his waist. He, then, glanced at Seifer. The blonde boy arched an eyebrow. What was wrong with Sora ? He hoped his charm was working on him !

« Did you see that ? » Axel whispered to Roxas, referring to Sora's glances. Roxas nodded. « Riku is such a genius ! He won't even have to do anything ! The kid's going to run in his arms soon ! » He smirked, but not Roxas. That wasn't so sure yet.

The spring was pretty wide and only a dozen men were already there, so there was still lots of place.

« Hot, hot, hot ! » Sora exclaimed, as the others – who were already in the water – looked at him, laughing. « That's not funny **at all **! » the brunette added, pouting, which made them laugh more. « Rikuuu ! Do something ! » The silver-haired boy stopped laughing and walked towards his friend.

« Just keep walking this way. Your body will adapt itself to the water's heat slowly. » he said, holding a hand out. Sora tried to grab it but he was still too far from the other. When he could finally reach it, the water was up to his waist without him noticing it. « See ? » Riku told the brunette, pointing to the water. Sora looked down and was surprised. He didn't feel hot anymore.

« Thanks Riku ! You saved me ! » Sora exclaimed, throwing his arms around Riku's neck. The older teen turned and sent Roxas a nervous glance. The blonde shrugged as a reply. Seifer quickly walked in their direction, stopping a few meters behind the two.

« Okay, try to come closer, Sora ! » he said, imitating Riku. The brunette let go of Riku and walked towards Seifer. Green eyes narrowed as they saw the brunette going in Seifer's direction and hugging him when he managed to be right in front of him.

« Oooh, that's right ! » Roxas suddenly said, clicking his fingers. Axel looked at him, confused. « Misaki told me Sora used to be strange during summer when he was a child. It looks like he reacted strangely to heat. I think going to a hot spring was a bad idea after all. »

« What do you mean ? » Axel asked.

« Well, she told me he had a good friend in primary school. One day, he came to Sora's house during summer, and he never came back nor talked to Sora after that. Misaki was worried and talked about it with the boy's mother. And she told auntie that her son was scared of Sora because he suddenly hugged him and didn't want to let go. To put it simply, he's like Riku when he's drunk. »

« Woa, that's the first time Ihear about someone getting drunk with hot water… » the red head said, looking at Sora who was now pushing Riku who was trying to separate the two. Still, that was really strange ! Later, they decided to eat in the spring's restaurant, so they went in a room a kind lady showed them to. A single but big table was placed in the middle of the room. The room itself was plain white. They all sat at the table. Sora felt quite nervous, sitting between Seifer and Riku who kept glaring at each other for no reason – from the brunette's point of view, that is. He was so glad when food was brought to them ! He was so hungry ! While eating, he began to glance at Riku, **again**. This time, though, the silver-haired teen noticed it. He looked at Sora but the brunette only looked at his plate each time he caught him glancing. That was funny at first, but it soon began to annoy him.

« Is something the matter ? » Riku finally asked. Sora chocked on his food and drank quickly. Once he calmed down, he looked at his friend.

« No, why do you ask ? » Sora lied.

« Because you keep glancing at me and it feels kind of embarrassing. » Riku's frankness made the brunette blush hard. He gulped a few times, not really knowing what to do or what to say.

« Don't worry about him. » Seifer said, smiling at his younger friend. « You can look at me all day long if you want to. It won't bother me **at all**. »

« Do what you want, I don't care anymore. » the silver-haired teen said, eating again.

« _No, no, no ! It wasn't supposed to go like that ! Riku, stop being an ass and do mething !_ » Axel thought, looking at Sora, then at Riku and finally at Seifer, who seemed to enjoy this. He tried to look at Roxas who was, well, just eating. The green-eyed teen's harsh words got to Sora who looked at his hands, now resting on his lap.

« _I made him angry. He kindly asked me to come here with him and I ruined everything…_» The brunette bit his lip, trying to look at Riku to see if he was about to say something else. Unfortunately, the other noticed it, and Sora averted his gaze. Riku sighed, got up and caught Sora's wrist.

« We'll be back in a minute. Excuse us. » he said, pulling the panicked brunette behind him. He closed the door behind him and turned towards Sora who was protecting his head with his arms. « What are you doing ? » the green-eyed teen asked, arching an eyebrow.

« Aren't you going to hit me ? » Sora said, opening one eye cautiously. His friend laughed.

« Of course not ! » The brunette heaved a sigh. « Okay, now that we're alone, maybe you'll feel like saying the truth. » Once again, Sora blushed, but just a little this time. Aw, he was so cute ! That view was priceless !

« I was thinking that…y-you have a n-nice body. And-» And the silver-haired teen didn't hear the rest. Did he heard it right ? Hell yeah ! Riku laughed, feeling proud all of a sudden. « Riku, are you okay ? » Sora asked, a worried look on his face as he saw Riku spacing out and laughing out of the blue. The silver-haired teen blinked a few times. « So, how do you do it ? »

« How do I do what ? » the green-eyed teen asked.

« I knew it, you weren't listening ! » Sora pouted but still repeated. « I was asking you how you can have such nice muscles. I'm so skinny, it's really ugly. I'd dream of having such a nice body ! Tell me your secret ! » the brunette said, his eyes filled with hope.

« Well, I-er… » his friend mumbled, quite embarrassed by the fact that Sora was staring at him, not blinking even once. He gulped with difficulty. Since when was it so hot in there ? One could hear other people's voices coming from the other rooms, but Riku wasn't hearing them. Nor was he seeing what surrounded him anymore. All he could see was Sora and his big blue eyes staring at him. Why were they here ? What was the other waiting for ? He forgot everything.

« Riku ? » the brunette asked, worried. He came closer to the other who was still looking at him blankly. That was kind of scary. « Hey ! You okay ? Hello ? » Sora added, waving a hand before the older boy's eyes. No reaction. Now, he had to do something to wake him up, but what ? He tried to pinch his cheek and finally, he got a reaction.

« Ow ! What did you do that for ? » Riku said, rubbing his cheek.

« You were spaced out. I guess we'll talk later. » Sora said, pouting. Then, Riku suddenly remembered the question his friend asked him.

« I used to be in many sport clubs in high school. » he said as the brunette turned to face him, smiling. The silver-haired teen looked at the other's figure from head to feet. The way he was standing right now made him look so… 'Cute' wasn't the right word. It was more than that, something less innocent. The older teen blinked a few times. He was **attractive**, and Riku thought he could eat him up at any moment. The taller boy unconciously walked towards the other and hugged him, nuzzling his face in the other's neck. Although he tensed up at the action, Sora's arms hugged back by themselves. The brunette blinked a few times, not knowing what was happening. Eventually, he settled down in Riku's arms. Somehow, it felt familiar to hug the other. Why ? He didn't know at all, but it felt nice and comforting.

« Riku ? » he finally asked, seeing the other wasn't letting him go.

« Just a moment, please. I'd like to stay like this for a bit. » the silver-haired teen said, tightening the hug.

« You're not drunk, are you ? » Sora asked, remembering the last time his friend hugged him. Riku laughed softly. The brunette was glad the other didn't leaned backwards, or else he would have noticed the huge blush he got when he felt the other's breath on his neck. « _What's wrong with me ? Hugging him back and blushing like that…_ » Eventually, the green-eyed teen let go of him, smiling.

« We'd better go back or the others will imagine things. » Riku playfully said.

« _And whose fault do you think it would be ?_ » the brunette thought. He shrugged and followed the other in the room, ignoring the fact that Axel was looking at him, grinning. Once their meal was over, they paid and went back to the dorm.

« By the way, I didn't know you had a room in the dorms ! I thought they had no place anymore. » Sora told Seifer. The blonde looked at him, smirking.

« Since one of the girls left, I took her room. It looks like her roommate moved to another dorm. »

« You're alone, then ? Aren't you lonely by yourself ? » the brunette asked, looking up at the blonde boy.

« I would be lying if I told you that I wasn't. Well, it's not everyday, but sometimes I wish there was someone else with me. » He came closer and slid an arm around the brunette's waist. Seeing that, Riku was about to say something but was stopped by Roxas. Axel and he looked at him, confused. What was he thinking ? Anyway, they kept watching the two walking before them.

« Wha-» Sora said, sounding panicked. He glanced at the hand resting on his hip, then at Seifer's face.

« Well, you could come to visit me from time to time. That would help. » the blonde said, a strange glint in his eyes that the brunette couldn't identify clearly. The blonde tried to pull the small brunette closer but only got pinched on the back of his hand.

« From the looks of it, it wouldn't be to talk with you. » the brunette said, now glaring at the other. Riku held back a laugh at Seifer's frustrated look. In the end, he was glad he listened to Roxas' advice. That's the way to go, Sora !

« Aw, come on ! I didn't mean anything bad. I promise. » the blonde said, laughing nervously. The brunette's glare softened and he looked before him until they were in front of the dormitory's doors. When they parted, Riku noticed Sora still looked a bit angry and he wished his blonde cousin wasn't going to pay for the tall blonde's stupidity. When he thought about the brunette's reaction, Riku was glad he didn't react that way when he hugged him. And he thanked the part of Sora who didn't forget how close they used to be a few weeks ago – even if said brunette wasn't conscious of it.


	13. Chapter 13

**Disclaimer**: I'm too lazy to type it. (it's the same as usual)

A/U: I decided to edit the previous chapter to make some changes. It seems like the quotation marks I used disturbed some readers, so I changed them! Anyway, thanks again for your kind reviews and/or reading this! XD I hope you'll enjoy this new chapter!

------

" What do I do ? Nobody's here…. " Sora was alone in his dorm, and that was a real problem. He needed to talk, but to who ? Riku was in town with some of his friends – he asked Sora to come with them but he refused because he didn't want to annoy them – and his cousin went to see a movie with Axel. They also asked him if he wanted to come but that just didn't feel right. So, here he was, bored out of his mind in this cold and lonely room. He looked at his cellphone. Maybe someone would call him if he thought about it strong enough. Damn, it only happens in movies ! « I'll just call Leon. » he concluded. He dialed his friend's number and waited.

" _Hello ?_ " came the tall brunette's response.

" Hi, Leon ! It's Sora ! "

" _Oh, hi ! What's up ?_ "

" Well, nothing. " Leon waited a bit before answering.

" …_What's wrong ?_ "

" What ? Nothing, I'm fine ! "

" _Don' t lie. I know you well enough to know when something's on your mind. Spill it._ " he commanded. Sora gulped. Since when was he so intimidating ? " _Besides, you wouldn't call me without a reason to do so. So ?_ "

" I'm alone and completely bored! Help me, please! " Sora whined.

" _Isn't Roxas with you? _"

" Of course not! I wouldn't be bored otherwise!" the small brunette said, pouting, though the other couldn't see it.

"_ Don't tell me you're only speaking to your cousin? Don't you have other friends?_ " Leon asked, souding a bit sorry for the other.

" Of course I have other friends! It's just that they all went out. "

" _I see, so I'm just a means of killing some ti- _" Leon stopped talking and made a strange sound. Sora arched an eyebrow in confusion.

" Leon? Are you okay? I heard something strange… Was it you? " the teen asked.

" _I'm okay. _" the other replied quite harshly, which made the blue-eyed boy gulp. Did he say something wrong? "_Anyway, I'm sure that's not the only reason you called. You could go for a walk to change your mind, you know. You always used to do that back when you were still living with your parents. _"

"…" Now, that was unexpected! Leon sure knew him well, and it made him smile. The brunette laughed softly and said: " Well, there **is** something else, but I already took care of it. Sort of. " He shrugged and, once again, realized the other couldn't see it. "It's a new guy who came in our class. He tried to make moves on me but I made him understand that I wasn't interested. Please, remind me of not going next to guys named Seifer. " the teen said, then laughed nervously.

" _Seifer, you say? A blond guy? With a scar on the face?_ " Leon asked. His voice was quivering, which was everything but a good thing. Sora blinked a few times.

" How come you know him? " He heard the other laugh, and he suddenly felt cold. He wasn't pleased **at all**, it seems.

" _Stay away from him. He's a jerk who used to challenge me all the time. He's only after you because I was interested in you. It looks like we will be even this time. _" Leon said. Once again, he made a strange noise. Sora listened carefully and he could swear he heard someone else.

" Okay, I'll keep that in mind. Well, it looks like you're busy right now. I'll call you later! " Someone seemed to take Leon's phone from his hand and talked.

" Yeah, you interrupted us, kid! So, call later, will ya? Thanks. " a man said. Sora had to move his cellphone away from his ear because the other was literally **screaming**. It looked like it was something important. The teen wanted to apologize but he realized the other had already hung up. Now, Leon wouldn't get away with this, even if he wasn't the one being rude. Anyway, Sora was still bored and didn't know what to do. He could read a book, but which one? He didn't want to, anyway. What about watching a movie? None of them interested him. He had homeworks to do, right?... Then, Sora's eyes widened. Did he just think about doing homeworks to busy himself? That wasn't right at all! He really needed to do something, and quickly!

------

"Riku? You look like you're on another planet! Are you still with us? " Larxene asked the silver-haired teen. No reply. He kept staring blankly at the wall before him. An evil grin appeared on her face. "I could help you if you want!" she sang, but she had no time to do anything.

" Now, don't try to do anything to my brother. " Zexion said, walking towards the two, and sitting on the bench, next to his younger brother.

" Aw, but I'm bored! They've been in that store for hours! What are they doing?! " the girl alsmost shrieked, waving her arms frantically.

" Well, it closes at eighteen. At least, we know we won't stay here later than that. " She just made a starnge sound and folded her arms to her chest, her foot tapping the ground. Zexion glanced at Riku and saw the other's expressionless…..expression. " Riku, you okay? " he asked. No reaction. The man smiled and added: " Oh, look who's coming! Sora, we're here! ". The teen's head quickly lifted up and he searched for the brunette. " It was a joke, silly. " Riku shot a glare at his brother.

" That wasn't funny **at all**. " he seethed.

" At least, you're speaking again. " Zexion shrugged. " I guess you were thinking about a certain brunette. " Seeing the green-eyed teen's blush, he knew he was right. Being right felt so good!

" What? Riku's in love? " Larxene asked, suddenly in a good mood again. " Who is it? Do I know her? Spill it, I want to know! Talk dammit!!" she said, strangling the poor teen.

" If you stop strangling him like that, maybe he'll answer. And It's not a she. " Zexion said, studying the blonde's face.

" What? " she asked, surprised by that sudden revelation and releasing her grip on the teen's throat. Ignoring his coughs, she continued. " Oooh, now I get it! " she said, smirking. " I bet it's Sora? " she asked, though she knew she was right.

" How'd you know?! " Riku exclaimed, a hand still rubbing his throat.

" Marly told me about your little party the other day. It looks like you were literally **glued** to him. " Larxene told the green-eyed teen, her smirk widening each second. A sudden shudder went down the other's spine. " Let me help you. " And there she went **again**.

" I don't think it would be wise seeing how things ended the last time you tried to 'help' someone. " Zexion said.

" Yeah, thanks a lot. " Xaldin said as he joined them on the bench, making Riku fall in the process. There just wasn't enough place for all of them, and Riku was still young so he could stand while the others came out of the store. " The poor girl won't even look at me anymore. "

" You just didn't do what I told you to do." the blonde girl said, shrugging. " Can't be helped if you don't know how to stri- "

" That will be enough." Riku cut her. " I'll just do it myself. **Alone**." he said, emphasizing the last word.

" Do as you want, but don't ever come crawling at me for advices, 'cause you'll just get laughed at. " the girl said, offended again and folding her arms to her chest.

" Believe me, he won't. " Xaldin said, grinning.

" What?! You looking for troubles?! Okay, jerk! Come on, I'll take you on **right now**! " she shrieked, getting up and glaring at the black-haired man.

" Like you could win against me. " he said, laughing at her, which only made her madder.

" Now, Larxie. Don't get mad like that in the middle of the streets. People will think you're a freak, which you aren't. " Marluxia said as he rested a hand on the girl's shoulder. She turned back to face him and smiled.

" Do not worry, I wouldn't hurt him! " she sang, ignoring the three boys laughing loudly behind her. "_One day, I'll show those filthy little-_" she thought but was interrupted.

" Okay, Xigbar's out too! Let's go! " Xaldin said once he calmed down. " Where are we heading now? "

" Candy store. " Zexion said. Everyone looked at him, confused looks on everyone's faces.

" But I thought you didn't like sweets… " Riku said as the others nodded in agreement.

" It's not for me. Actually, I think I'd do a better job than Larxene on helping you. "

" Oh ho! The girl's fond of sweets! Ain't it sweet? " Xaldin said, then laughed. He quickly noticed the others walking away, too ashamed of their friend's bad joke.

" Where did you get the idea he'd like candy ? " the silver-haired teen asked.

" I sort of figured it out. And someone helped me too. " His younger brother sent him a confused look. " Let's say she's a close friend who told me that Sora is in love with barley sugar. "

" I don't know who she is, but I'll be gratefull all my life if it helps me! " the teen said, grinning and wondering which candy he could buy for the brunette…and also for himself.

------

"Finished!" Sora triumphantly exclaimed once his homeworks were all done. How sad…. Anyway, there was nothing else to do and he quickly felt bored again. He decided to wander a bit in the dormitory's corridors and found someone he thought he knew.

" Lae- " he began but quickly stopped. The guy looked exactly like Laexus but something was different. The hair maybe? It seemed more curly. Anyway, the guy turned around and glanced at Sora, who felt oh so little all of a sudden.

" How many times do I have to tell you guys that Laexus is smaller than me and has shorter hair. We do not look alike **at all**." The guy said.

" _You say that but you still look a lot like him, even if you don't want to. _" the blue-eyed boy thought. " Are you two related, by any chance? " he dared asking, but quickly regretted it when he saw those **big** and **strong** and probably **hurtful **fists balling.

" We're brothers. " the other said. " What do you want, anyway? If you want to bother someone, go find another victim. " Sora blinked a few times. Did he just say 'victim' ? About himself ? The brunette didn't know he looked so intimidating.

" I- I didn't mean to bother you! I just mistook you and thought you- "

"Yeah, right. After all, I don't see why someone like you could be looking for me anyway. Now, leave me alone, please. " The tall guy began to walk away but Sora ran after him, trying to keep the other's pace, which was difficult since the small teen took three steps while the other only took one. He glanced nervously at Sora and looked in front of him again.

" I'm Sora. "

" … "

" Say, what did you mean by 'someone like you' ? I don't think I'm that famous yet. " the blue-eyed teen said, crossing his arms behind his head. The other grunted but still replied.

" You're the only one here who dared to fight my brother back. Of course I'd know you. And thanks to you, I got a headache when he came to me and explained how frustrating it was that a shrimp like you dared to shut him up in front of people. " Sora gulped and wanted to speak but was cut. " Actually, it made me feel a bit better. I always thought my brother was someone who never failed in anything – at least when it came to fighting against others. But you showed me that he could be beaten by someone way weaker than him." He stopped talking and looked at Sora, a surprised and also annoyed expression on his face. " I don't even know why I'm telling you that…." He walked faster but Sora ran beside him, not decided to let him go like that after he told him he was **weak**!

" Hey, now don't insult others and run away! Tch, you're just like your brother! You do your things then ran away, not even listening to others! That's really annoy- "

" I am **not** like him. Remember that. " The brown-haired boy blinked a few times before he cautiously chose his words and spoke.

" Could it be that… you don't get along? " The other glared at him but he ignored it. " How come? " The tall guy sighed and kept walking. They were now outside, and Sora regretted he didn't take his coat with him. " I always used to think that having a brother would be a great thing. " the brunette said, his voice quivering a bit because of the cold weather. " It's a shame that brothers do not get along. You see, my cousin have an older brother and they had a quarrel some months ago. I didn't understand why at first, but I then realized why people fight against one another at times. Do you know why? " he asked the tall guy, who stopped walking and looked at him, a confused glint in his eyes. " That's because they care about one another. " he concluded as he smiled. He saw a big hand raising and awaited the worst. He clenched his eyes shut and hoped it wouldn't be too painful and, above all, that it wouldn't last long. That same hand went down and simply rested on his head.

" You just like to worm your way into others' hearts, don't you? " Sora opened his eyes and saw that his interlocutor's lips formed a warm smile. He laughed nervously. Was it a I'm-so-gonna-beat-you-to-a-pulp ironic expression or just a friendly one? The other took his coat off and tossed it to Sora. " You seem cold. I'll let you borrow it until we get back. "

" Really? Thanks! But…where are we going exactly? " the brunette asked, putting the coat on, which was way too large for him.

" I just need to buy a book, it won't take too long. " He waited until the small teen was walking by his side, then added: " My name's Lexaeus."

" I'm glad to meet you! " Sora cheerfully said.

------

Riku breathed deeply, his eyes closed. He was standing before Sora and Roxas' room door…and he felt oh so stupid…

"_ Now, I look like a junior high school kid who's in love for the first time and is afraid to talk to his crush… That's just too stupid. **I **am stupid. _" He unconsciously banged his head against the wall, until he heard a door opening, in fact the one he had been standing in front of.

" Riku, is everything okay? " Roxas asked his friend. The other gulped and nodded in agreement. " Well, come in? " the other asked, not sure if it was wise asking. The silver-haired teen thanked him and went in the room. He glanced around him and did not see the reason of his visit. He sighed, looking at his feet.

" Sora's not here. I suppose he went out to change his mind. It looks like the poor guy was pretty bored. " the blonde said, pointing to the homeworks his cousin did and that were on the desk. Riku winced. It must have been quite a hard time for him. " Say, what's in this bag? "Roxas asked the teen.

" Barley sugar. " he replied

" Wow, I suppose it's for Sora. He'll be glad. " the blonde smiled at his friend. " Good thing you knew about it! "

" Actually, it's my bro' who told me about it. It looks like he has good connections. " He looked at the ground, his expression looking sad all of a sudden. " It would have been better if I learned it myself, though. " Roxas scratched the back of his neck before he spoke, looking quite embarrassed.

" You know, if you want to learn more things about Sora, you'll have to ask him directly. He's not the kind of guy to talk about himself a lot. He prefers to listen to others. That's why he didn't tell us about his problems last time. I only hope he'll learn from it and speak when he'll need to. " the blonde sighed and fell on his bed. " You can sit, you know. " he added, motioning to his cousin's bed. The green-eyed teen slowly nodded and walked towards Sora's bed. The blonde lifted the head up and noticed that his friend looked down. He sighed and sat up.

"Hey, do you remember the face Seifer made when Sora sent him packing? " he laughed a bit, Riku imitating him. Well, not really. He only smiled, but it was better than nothing! " I wonder what he's planning, that stupid guy. I hope he'll leave him alone now. "

" I heard he's hitting on other people – most of them are girls. Kairi left but someone decided to follow in her footsteps, it seems. " Riku quietly said, and laughed a little. He looked at the door when he heard footsteps and someone sayind his goodbyes. Then, the door opened.

" Hi guys! You're back already? " Sora asked, beaming. " I missed you soooooooo much! Thankfully, I won't be bored anymore! " he said as he jumped on Roxas, earning scowls from him.

" Yeah, you seemed desperate enough to do your homeworks. Poor thing. " the blonde said, patting his cousin's head. The brunette stood up and walked toward Riku, sitting next to him.

" I'll be right back." The blonde said as he got up. " I'll bring some drinks. I'm thirsty. "

"Good idea! " the blue-eyed teen exclaimed. As soon as Roxas closed the door behind him, Sora glanced at Riku's bag. " That smell… " he said slowly. Riku gulped. " It can only be barley sugar's! " The silver-haired teen looked at him, faking surprise. " I knew it! That's it? I'm not wrong, am I ? " The other laughed and handed the bag over.

" I thought you would like it. " Riku said.

" You bet! " The brunette opened the bag and looked inside. "My favourite ones! " he exclaimed. Hearing that, Riku's mood got better. There were several sorts of barley sugar – they all tasted the same though – but he picked the ones he liked the most. And lucky little Riku chose the ones Sora prefered! That sure was something to be proud of! He stopped thinking when the other threw his arms around his neck and made him fall backwards.

" What are you- " Riku began.

" Thank you so much! Thankyouthankyouthankyouthankyou… " the brunette cheerfully said.

" Okay, okay, I get it. But, could you get off of me, please? " the silver-haired tee asked. "_It's not that I don't like it but… Well, I think I like it **too much**…_" He sighed in relief when the brunette let go of him. Sora took candies and handed one to Riku.

" For you! " the blue-eyed boy said, beaming at his friend who took a candy slowly. The other unwrapped his and ate it. The other teen looked away but quickly turned to face his friend. " What? " the brunette asked, looking confused by the other's reaction.

" _What, you ask? You're-you're- you're making strange noises! Argh, I didn't know one could stutter even while thinking!!!_ " The green-eyed teen covered his ears with his hands and stared at the wall before him. "_Ha! You can make all the noise you want, I won't hear it! _"

" I think you have a serious problem…" Sora said aloud, but, of course, his friend couldn't hear. Then, Roxas came back, carrying orange juice cans.

"I hope I wasn't too long…. What's wrong, Riku? " the blonde asked, cocking his head to the side. He glanced at his cousin who just shrugged and kept eating his candy. That is when Roxas' eyes widened. " Sora! How many times did I tell you to stop being so noisy when you suck on a candy?! You're embarrassing Riku, you dumbass! " Sora looked at Roxas, then at Riku whose face was as red as a tomato. He choked on his candy and quickly threw it in the trashcan. It wasn't the first time something like that happened. Leon still remembered that day, when the small brunette was eating a popsicle…. The poor guy couldn't face him for a whole week.

" I'm sorry, Riku! I didn't mean to..well, you know.."

" I should go. I'll see you tomorrow. " the silver-haired teen said as he arose to his feet and ran out of the room. Sora shot a panicked look at his relative who only shrugged. It couldn't be helped.

------

The next day, the literature lesson was quiet. Awfully quiet. Sora kept glancing at Riku, but the other seemed to ignore him. After such an embarrassing event, it was understandable after all. And Sora not knowing about Riku's feelings about him made it worse. Now, the younger teen probably thought he was some kind of pervert. The teen jumped when he heard Cloud calling his name.

" Riku, could you explain the sentence I just read? " The teen wasn't paying attention at all and glanced at the brunette, who still had that strange expression – at least, from Riku's point of view. Now, that was more than he could take!

" I'm not a pervert! " he yelled at the poor blue-eyed teen who jumped in surprise and paled as his friend ran out of the classroom, other students laughing like mad. Cloud didn't say anything, but the way his left eye was twitching couldn't mean anything good.

" Sora! You'll stay when class is over, we need to talk! " he snaped. Sora sank in his seat. Now, it wasn't his day… Once class was over, the brunette went to his cousin's desk, as he was 'gently' told to a few hours earlier. He tugged nervously on a lock of his hair and waited for the blonde man to speak.

" Okay, what did you do this time? " Cloud asked. Sora blinked a few times and said nothing. He himself didn't know what he did wrong. Damn it, he was just eating a mere candy! Seeing his young cousin wasn't answering, Cloud continued. " I'm really, **really** mad at you guys. "

" Wh-Why? " the brunette asked, his voice quivering. The blonde man shot a glare at him and sighed.

" I heard you celebrated for you-know-who's captivity, and you didn't even asked me if I wanted to join you. "

" I'm sorry. " Sora replied.

" I know. " Cloud said. " Well, you could make up for it. " The brunette looked confused and was about to ask something but didn't have time to. " Come with me, we're going out. "

" Go- right now?! But I- " the brunette said, as his cousin took his bag and caught the brunette by the wrist, pulling him. They drove for almost an hour and arrived at…

" Why are we at my house? " Sora asked his cousin, who was smiling.

" It's a surprise! " the man replied. They went in the house and were greeted by an over-excited Misaki who threw her arms around her son's neck.

" Sora, honey! Welcome back! Come with me! " she said, grabbing his wrist and pulling him in the living room, Cloud following them. There stood Hiro and people he didn't know : a tall man who looked a little like Riku and a beautiful woman. They both smiled and came towards him.

" Hi, Sora. Let me introduce ourselves. Here is my husband, Sephiroth. I am Trish. " the woman said in a quiet voice.

" You forgot to say we are Riku's parents. " Sephiroth said.

" That's right. We are Riku's parents. " she said, then she suddenly turned to face her husband. " I **didn't **forget it! You didn't let me finish! " she said, sounding a bit angry. The man laughed. Sora couldn't help but stare at them. He never saw someone – and a man at that – with hair that long and that beautiful. He wondered if they were as silky as Riku's. And he truly didn't know a woman could be so pretty and not be a goddess – except for his mother, of course. His train of thoughts stopped when Misaki smaked him in the head.

" Don't stare at people like that. It's rude. " she said. Sephiroth came closer and bent over to look closer at Sora.

" Your eyes are amazing! Look at that, Trish! " he said. His wife did what she was told to.

" My, you're right. It's fascinating! I don't think I've ever seen eyes this shade of blue! " Sora gulped. It was really embarrassing to have people staring at you like that – and so closely! He made a note not to stare at people **anymore**.

" Come and sit down! I'll bring the cake! " Misaki said, motioning to the table. Sora sat beside his father, across Riku's parents. They were still looking at him.

" So, how is our son doing? He barely gives us a call and Zexion talks as much a statue would. " Trish said, smiling and sighing all the while.

" He…" the brunette began, glancing at the couple before him. Couldn't they look at something else just for a minute?! Just like Riku did all morning! " He… Oh my gosh, I'm so horrible! I made him angry and he wouldn't talk to me at all, let alone look at me! And I don't even know what I did wrong! I'm sorry! It's all my fault! I'll… I'll stab my hand as an apology! " the brunette yelled, catching a utensil that was next to his plate.

" With a spoon? " Sephiroth asked, a small grin appearing on his lips.

" Since when did you become a masochist? " Cloud added.

" WHAT?! Sora, if you have problems, you should talk to us! Or at least to someone at your school! " Hiro said, a worried look showing on his face.

" The only problem I'm having at this moment was caused by me! " the brunette said, putting his head in his hands' palms. " What should I do? "

" You could explain how it began. When did Riku start to ignore you? " Sephiroth asked.

" Well, he was still fine yesterday – that is until I offered him a candy. He doesn't like candy, does he? " the blue-eyed teen asked, panicking again.

" He does like them. That's strange. Did something else happen? " the man asked.

" Well, no. We were just sitting on my bed and eating sweets. " Cloud's eyes widened.

" I see. " he said, quietly first. He thought for a moment, then his eyes widened more. " Hell yeah, I **see** too well for his own good! " the blonde man said angrily. "_ Knowing Sora's special way of eating candy, I bet he 'reacted', which isn't normal for someone who thinks of him as his **friend**!_ " he thought. Somehow, it semed like Trish heard his thoughts – or more likely figured out what Cloud meant.

" Oh! " she exclaimed, looking at Sora once again and blushing slightly. Sephiroth glanced at her worriedly and leaned forward so that she could whisper in his ear. His eyes widened and he glanced at Sora too. He, then, looked at his wife again.

" Are you sure about this? " he asked, and she nodded. " Oh. " he simply said. Sora looked at them, then at Cloud who was clearly angry and wondered what was going on. Was he missing something important there?

" Here's the cake, everyone! I hope you're hungry! " Misaki cheerfully said, as she came out of the kitchen, carrying a huge cake. She put it on the table and looked at her hosts. Except for her husband, they all had strange expressions. " Something the matter? " she asked.

" Excuse us for a moment. We'll be back in a minute. " Trish said as she arose to her feet and pulled the other woman in the kitchen. She closed the door and turned to face her friend.

" What is wrong? You scare me… " Misaki said, nibbling her thumb nail.

" It looks like we have a **huge** problem concerning our sons. " the other said, looking at Misaki, whose eyes widened.

" What did Sora do again?! " the brown-haired woman said, almost ready to apologize for him.

" Nothing actually. It's Riku who's causing problems, I think. " Seeing the other's confusion, she continued. " It looks like my son likes your son. "

" Of course, they're good friends. " Misaki said. Trish shook her head no. " No? But… "

" I'll make myself clear. My son likes yours as more than a friend. "

" Oh no, not again! " Misaki exclaimed loudly, but was silenced by her friend's hand on her mouth.

" Shh!!! Do you want them to hear us?! " Trish whispered, then removed her hand slowly.

" There's no need to hide it, I found out anyway. " The women jumped and turned to see that Cloud had joined them. " Let me tell you something. There's **no way** I'll let that happen and- "

" And you'll do nothing because the last time you tried to mess with your brother's love life, you guys ended up fighting! " Sora's mother said angrily.

" How come you know about that? " the blonde asked, blinking in surprise.

" Sora told me. Hopefully, you have a nice cousin who helped you. But let me tell you this. If you have a quarrel with him, I highly doubt Roxas would be able to help. He's a good boy, don't get me wrong, but he won't even try to side with you, you can be sure of this. " The blonde man didn't reply and just grunted.

" What about my opinion?! " Trish said, hitting the floor with her foot. The two looked at her. " I just learned about my son liking other boys and you don't even care about asking me how I'm taking it! "

" As long as he's happy, you shouldn't be against it. " the brunette said. Cloud shot her a worried glance. " If Sora was to tell me he was interested in a boy, I would do my best to support him and make him happy. That's all that matters. " Trish stepped and stood right in front of Misaki and looked straight in her eyes.

" Of course I wouldn't be against it! " she cheerfully said, taking the other woman's hands in hers. " Well, it truly surprised me but it can't be helped anyway. " she added, shrugging. " But your son will be causing big problems. He doesn't seem to know about it. "

" I hope Riku's strong and patient. Leon had a hard time making Sora realize his feelings, though I tried to help him. Besides, what worries me the most is the fact that my little baby only sees onion boy as a friend. "

" Onion boy? " Trish asked, arching an eyebrow.

" That's a long story. I'll explain it to you later. "

" Excuse me but, in case you forgot it, I'm still here! " Cloud said angrily. He didn't like being ignored **at all**, though he ignored others most of the time. " I'm still against- "

" Why don't you go in the living room and talk with the men? I'm sure they'll be happy to see you! " the girls said as they pushed him out of the kitchen. They closed the door behind them and locked it.

" You could have clearly said I was bothering you… " Cloud muttered.

------

Roxas was in his room, Axel sitting next to him on the blue-eyed boy's bed. The poor teen looked really worried and was frowning.

" If things keep going on like this, they'll never talk to each other again. " Roxas worriedly said. " What can I do? " he added, looking at his lover.

" Nothing. That would be for the best. " Axel said, ignoring the other's pout. " There will be times when you won't be able to help your cousin, and you have to accept it. It's like that. "

" But – "

" No buts, mister. Just give Riku some time and he'll forget about what happened…maybe. " The younger boy shot him a glare. " What? It's true! If it were me, I'd have a hard time speaking to you – let alone looking at you. And Sora being so innocent doesn't help. Riku must feel awfully bad. " Roxas heaved a sigh and rested his head on Axel's shoulder.

" I suppose you're right. " he said and closed his eyes. The red-haired boy wrapped an arm around the other's waist and intertwinned his free hand's fingers with the other's. They stayed like this for what seemed like hours and they felt peaceful. They both frowned when someone knocked at the door and entered.

" Am-am I interrupting something? " Riku asked as he saw the two cuddling.

" Oh, Riku! Come in. " the blue-eyed teen said softly. Riku closed the door behind him and sat next to the lovers. " What is wrong? " Roxas asked. Aquamarine eyes looked at him sadly.

" I miss the time when Sora and I were together. Now, I can't even look at him anymore! What should I do? " he said loudly before he frowned. " I'm getting nowhere! I thought I could be close to him quickly. "

" You **are** close to h- "

" As a **friend** only. And that's not what I want. But I just can't tell him! But maybe telling him would be the solution. I don't know! " he concluded, folding his arms to his chest and pouting. The blonde couldn't help but laugh. " What's so funny? " the silver-haired teen asked as he glared at the teen.

" I thought you would be more depressed. It looks like I don't need to worry about you. " He smiled at Riku. " It'll work fine. Once you stop having bad thoughts about Sora each time you see him, that is. " he teased.

" It's not like I want to! It's his fault! " the green-eyed teen exclaimed, his eyes narrowing.

" It's sad he doesn't even realize it. " the blonde answered, laughing a bit. Riku's eyes widened. Could it be possible to be so…. " I didn't lie when I told you he was dense. " he added. And all Roxas could do was patting his friend's back to comfort him.


	14. Chapter 14

**Disclaimer**: The characters aren't mine… (except for some of them)

A/U: Maybe it's just me, but it looks like this chapter is short… Oh well, I'll just write a long one next! (maybe) Once again, thanks for your reviews and enjoy please!

------

" Okay, now you do that, and then you say this! " Sora said as he lifted his fists up like he was angry and ready to fight. The tall guy before him – Lexaeus – eyed him suspicously.

" Look, I told you, you don't need to bother about it. I'm fine the way I am. "

" No, you're not! You have to prove yourself that you're as good as your brother! There, try to punch me! " the brunette said, turning his head and pointing to his cheek.

" You are crazy. I'm leaving. " the tall brown-haired man said as he walked away. The younger teen ran after him and walked beside him. " Why do you want to help me so much, anyway? "

" Don't know. Maybe because you remind me of my cousin. He used to be picked on a lot in junior high. I was the one who usually stood up for him, but I wasn't that strong unfortunately. " he said and laughed nervously. He silenced himself when he saw Riku walking towards them. The other teen blushed slightly when he saw Sora and walked faster, ignoring them as he passed the two. The blue-eyed boy sighed and looked at his feet.

" Isn't he the one you always hang out with? " Lexaeus asked as he looked at the now far away silver-haired boy. " You guys had a fight? "

" Not really. I don't know. All I know is that my mother seems to find it funny… And I thought she would always take my side. " the brunette said as he frowned. The tall boy remained silent and kept walking, not noticing that Riku had turned around suddenly and ran towards them. The two went outside – Sora asked the other if he wanted to go for a walk with him – and then the blue-eyed boy froze as a group of boys passed the entrance doors of the dormitory. " It's them! " he angrily said as they both approached them quickly. Well, it's not like he wanted to see them, it's just that Lexaeus was taking such huge steps! Anyway, the group turned their heads and saw the furious brunette coming in their direction. They smirked.

" Hey, if it isn't that kid's hero! You liked being kicked up that much that you came to ask us for more? " one of them asked, the others laughing loudly behind him.

" Who are they? " the tall boy asked his friend. He truly hoped they wouldn't fight, he didn't want to, because he simply hated violence. People should learn to get along well! Unfortunately, his wish wouldn't come true, and he knew it the moment Sora stepped forward vigorously, his eyes burning holes in the guys' heads.

" Now that you talk about it, I think it's time for pay back! It'll feel good to let all my anger out on you, poor excuses for a human being! Look carefully Lexaeus, that's how you fight someone! " With that being said, Sora ran in the guys' direction and hit, bit, kicked and did everything that was possible to make people suffer a slow and hurtful death – well, not really but you get the idea.

" _Wow, bro' had luck he wasn't **that** angry at him. Those poor fellows are not match for him. One's even begging for mercy. _" As strange as it may seem, Lexaeus felt sorry for the guys. He was interrupted when he felt someone hitting him from behind. He turned around and saw Riku sprawled on the ground.

" Ouch. You **really** are made of rock! " the teen muttered as the tall boy helped him to get up. " Anyway, where's So- " Riku began to say. He saw someone who looked like Sora beating the crap out of some guys, which made him unable to speak. Woa, he was small but he knew how to punch people! Wait a minute, that spiky hair…. " Sora?! What's he doing?! " the green-eyed teen yelled, not moving an inch.

" Taking his anger out on boys. "

" Well, I could see that. Anyway, why don't you try to stop him? "

" Why don't **you** stop him yourself? "

" I don't want to die yet, thanks. "

" Same goes for me. " They remained silent for a moment. " He'll calm down. Probably. "

" I just hope they won't be dead when he does. " Riku added.

" It would be your fault. After all, you're the one who made him angry in the first place. " He looked down at the silver-haired teen who shot him a nervous glance.

" What?! " he exclaimed, then looked at the furious teen again. "_ Well, as long as he calms down and don't hit me like that…_" he thought but soon shook his head. " _What am I thinking?! That's not the point here! He's mad at me and I don't know why! Well, maybe the fact that I ignored him for the past few days is related to this, but…_" he kept thinking, not noticing that the brunette had stopped hitting the guys, who were running away.

" Ha! And don't you try to come back! " Sora yelled. " I'm feeling much better now! " he added. He blinked a few times when he saw Riku standing next to Lexaeus. Did he just saw that? " Riku? What are you doing here? " The other snaped out of his thoughts and shook his head frantically.

" I-I can come later if I'm bothering you. "

" No, actually I wanted to talk to you too. " the brunette said, looking at his feet. Whoops, he'll have to wash that stain of blood out later. The tall boy looked at both of them , then said:

" I'll go back. I don't feel like walking anymore. See you! " he said as he walked away, leaving the teens alone. Sora lifted his head up and glanced at his friend.

" What about coming with me, then? I don't feel like walking alone. "

" Sure. " Riku said, shrugging. They went in the park and sat on a bench that was facing the lake. It brought old memories back!

" That's where kairi and I went when she wanted me to kiss her. " the brunette said, laughing. The other smiled softly but kept looking at some ducks. " I'm sorry. " Sora suddenly said.

" About what? " the green-eyed boy asked, turning his head towards his friend.

" I don't know what I did exactly, but it looks like I made you angry. "

" No, not at all! I wasn't angry, I was just – well…" Riku mumbled. " …_ just having bad thoughts everytime I looked at you, so I decided it would be best to just avoid you._ " he thought. He glanced at Sora, who had a confused expression. "Nevermind. " he concluded, knowing that the other was too dense to understand the whole situation. " Anyway, who were those boys? "

" They were bothering Yuna the day Zexion came and asked us to search for her. She was in the dorm's campus with them. According to Xaldin, it's because of them that I suffered of amnesia. " An evil smirk apperad on his face. " That'll teach them! "

" Yeah, I guess. By the way, could you tell your cousin to stop sleeping with Axel almost everynight? It's kind of embarrassing to have them cuddling all night next to me… "

" Slee-sleeping?! " Blue eyes widened as the brunette stuttered.

" No, that's not what you think it is. They do nothing…yet. But still, I don't feel at ease. "

" Phew, you scared me! " the brunette said, laughing nervously. " Well, I'll try to talk to him when he gets back. "

" Where is he? " Riku asked.

" He had to go to his bank or something. Axel's with him. "

------

And as Sora said, Roxas was waiting in his bank with the red head. He had no financial issues, he was way too careful. He just needed money and the cash machine broke down, so he had to go inside. Just his luck. There were so many people in there! Did they have nothing better to do?! Roxas **hated** waiting. He was patient most of the time though. Oh well, there were just three ladies before him. He'd be out of there in less than one hour – if he had luck, that is. A man entered the bank, wearing a nice suit and a stocking mask. It looked like it was trendy! Other men were wearing ones… Now, that didn't seem to be a good thing at all.

" Hands up! " one yelled as he pulled a gun out of his oh so nice suit, his 'friends' imitating him.

" I knew it wasn't my day…" Roxas whispered, but no one heard him since people were screaming and begging for their lives. Everything was silent after one of the men shot in the air.

" Shut up and sit! Now! " one yelled. People obeyed and glanced at them nervously. One of the bandit went to the counter and asked the bank worker to give him all the money that was in the building, while others were robbing people's valuable stuff.

" Gimme all you've got, kid! " a man asked Roxas, who looked up at him and sighed.

" I have nothing. I came here to take money. " the blonde answered. The other eyed him suspicously.

" Now, don't lie, blondie! I don't want to hurt you, y'know. It's against my principles to hit kids. "

" You'd better add robbery to the list. " a courageous man commented, next to him. Without warning, the man shot him in the leg. The other's scream echoed in the silent building as people covered their ears with their hands. Roxas' face blanched.

" So? " the man asked, sounding pretty calm.

" I told you! I have nothing! " the blonde exclaimed loudly. The other didn't insist and kept asking other people to hand their stuff over. The injured man had stopped screaming but he seemed in true pain and he was still moaning. " Oh my gosh, we're going to die here…" the blue-eyed boy whispered.

" Don't say that. Once they have what they want, they'll just leave and everything will be back to normal. Don't worry. " Axel told him, smiling gently. The blonde boy felt tears coming but none of them fell.

" If I had known I'd be dead today, I wouldn't have stopped you yesterday! I don't want to die and still be a virgin! " Roxas said loudly, resting his head agaisnt his lover's chest.

" Stop that! We won't die! And don't say things like this! People are looking at us! " Axel exclaimed, embarrassed by the stares he was getting.

" You two, over there! Shut up or I'll kill you! " one of the robbers – the chief it seemed - yelled.

" Aww, isn't it cute! He's comforting his boyfriend!" another one happily said.

" I knew you were gay. " a bandit standing next to him commented.

" I'm not! " he exclaimed, facing his colleague. " I just thought it was- "

" What I said goes for you two as well! " their chief added.

" _Robbers these days are really stupid…_" the red haired man thought, sighing. He looked down and saw that Roxas was still hugging him, his hands clenched on his coat. A little while later, the bandits were gone and an ambulance came to take the injured man to the hospital. The way back to the dormitory was awfully silent.

------

" That was a great walk, wasn't it? " Sora cheerfully said as he faced Riku. " We should go more often! I like walking with you! It reminds me of the strolls I took with my dad! "

" Do I look like your father that much? " the silver-haired teen asked, half hurt and half happy.

" Not at all. But we would talk about many things too. That's your common point. " The older teen sighed in relief. Sora took his coat off, tossing it on his bed and sitting on it. He patted beside him, as a sign for his friend to sit next to him. Riku put his coat on a chair and sat. " You know, I think I have a great idea! " the brunette suddenly said, shifting so that he could face his friend.

" Really? " the other asked, feeling uneasy. He was sitting so close to him! Did Sora never heard of personnal space?

" You see, since your brother is in charge of the dorms, he could make some changes without anyone noticing them. Actually, he's the only one who would notice them. "

" What **kind** of changes, exactly? " What was that bad feeling Riku was getting?

" Roxas and you could exchange rooms! " Well, that's what it was.

" Are you nuts?! We can't do that! " the silver-haired teen exclaimed loudly, though he didn't want to.

" Of course we can! It won't be that difficult! "

" _Exchanging isn't difficult, it's the fact that I'll be living with you that will cause problems!_" a panicked Riku thought. " No. "

" Come on, Riku! We're doing this for them! This way, you'll be able to sleep peacefully again! "

" _That's what **you** think._" Riku said nothing.

" Don't you want to make Axel happy? He's your friend, remember? "

" … "

" You wouldn't want to make a **friend** – probably the **best** **friend** you ever had – sad, would you? " the brunette insisted, emphasizing some words. Ah! The other twitched! " If you agree, I'll do anything to thank you! "

" Don't say that when you can't possibly do anything. "

" I will, I promise! "

" Really? Then, if I tell you that I had no girlfriend in a looooooong time and, as a consequence, had no 'fun' with one – "

" Okay, I'll do anything that doesn't include having clothes removed. " the brunette said, interrupting the other. He could be sharp sometimes!

" A kiss. "

" What ? " the younger teen asked, blinking in surprise.

" Give me a kiss and I'll think about it. " Sora frowned.

" No. I kiss you and you agree. "

" Nope. " the other insisted. The brunette heaved a sigh, and folded his arms to his chest. Now, Riku could be pretty stubborn! That wasn't such a big deal, anyway!

" Maybe… " The blue-eyed boy wondered. " You'd like it better if it is me who come to your room? "

" That doesn't change anything. " Silence again. Riku glanced at Sora, who was looking at his hands that rested on his lap. The brunette bit his lip and blushed. What was he thinking about this time? Then, he lifted his head up and looked straight in his friend's eyes.

" What if I… " he began, but his voice broke. He cleared his throat and took a deep breath before he continued. " What if I give you a f-french kiss? " Now, that was much more interesting! Too bad for him, though.

" That was what I meant by 'kiss'. That was a nice try. " Riku laughed softly.

" What can I do, then?! " Sora asked, sounding annoyed.

" Well, 'anything'. " Riku said, teasing the other. He came closer to his friend, who gasped.

" I told you I can't do something like that! " the younger boy exclaimed, turning a deep shade of red. And Riku wouldn't stop closing the gap between their faces.

" I'm afraid I don't understand. " the silver-haired boy lied.

" You know what I meant! " the brunette exclaimed, leaning backwards to keep his distances.

" I have a quite short attention span, you know. " the other said, green eyes staring at blue ones and growing bigger and bigger as they came closer.

" I- I…" Sora stuttered, making a soft 'thud' sound when he ended up lying on his bed. And those beautiful aquamarine eyes that kept coming closer! Strands of silver hair tickled him on his face. He lifted his hands up and covered his friend's mouth. " I can't sleep with you! If you need to have 'fun' with someone, then go find yourself a girlfriend or something! " he exclaimed. "Woa!" Sora removed his hands quickly when he felt the other licking them.

" Let me kiss you right now and I'll agree… maybe. " Riku teased, smiling smugly. The other seemed to think for a moment.

" You promise me you'll agree and I'll let you, well… " blue eyed darted a glance at green ones before looking at the wall. The older teen grinned.

" It's a deal, then! " he said and bent down to kiss the other… when someone opened the door. They both turned and saw Axel and Roxas, standing at the doorframe and sending them strange looks.

" It- it's not what you think it is! " Sora exclaimed, pushing Riku away so that he could sit up. " Roxas, you look pale. What's wrong? "

" Let's say we had a little problem at the bank. " the red haired said, scratching the back of his neck. " He'll feel better tomorrow, don't worry! Well, let's go, Riku! I think they want to be left alone. " he added, exciting the room. Riku stood up, smiled at Sora with this I'll-get-it-later expression that made the brunette shudder. Once the door was closed, Roxas threw his arms around his cousin's neck and said nothing.

"Really, what happened? " Riku asked Axel as they went in their room. The red head shrugged.

" Some guys robbed money at the bank. "

" What?! "

" None of us are hurt. There was just a man who got shot in the leg. The poor guy… " Axel smirked, which was kind of unexpected.

" Don't tell me you actually enjoyed it? " Riku asked, eyeing his roommate suspiciously.

" Of course not! It's just that it reminded me of what Roxas told me at that time. "

" And that was? " the silver-haired teen asked, already whishing he hadn't. Too late.

" He regretted we didn't have hot, passionate lo- "

" STOP RIGHT NOW! " the other yelled, covering his ears with his hands. " I get it, so shut up! " At that time, he knew it would be better to accept the brunette's offer.

------

The next day, things went as Axel had planned. Roxas was feeling better and wasn't thinking about the accident from the day before anymore. On his side, Sora was doing his best to hide his excitement. He'd be seeing Zexion to talk about his great plan. He asked Riku to come with him, in case the young man wouldn't agree. The blonde teen was kind of worried about his cousin's mood. It's not that he wanted him to be depressed. It's just that seeing him like that often brought bad news. If only he knew what was awaiting him this time… He tried to make him talk during their philosophy class but the brunette wouldn't say a single word. So, he eventually dropped the subject. That evening, the two friends went to Zexion's room. Riku's brother looked surprised to see them but let them enter.

" What brings you two here? " the blue haired boy asked. Riku said nothing and just decided he'd sit in the corner of the room and wait until it was over. It wasn't his idea after all.

" Well, actually, there's something I need to ask you. " Sora dared a glance at the young man, who was expressionless. " You see, erm- " He thought about an excuse to justify why he wanted Roxas to switch rooms with Riku. And then, it striked him. " Riku doesn't get along too well with Axel, that's it! And I was wondering if- "

" Stop lying and tell me everything. " Zexion cut him. The blue-eyed boy shuddered and pulled at a lock of his hair nervously.

" I was wondering if Roxas could exchange rooms with Riku. "

" Why? " Zexion asked. Riku glanced at the two. His brother was folding his arms to his chest and frowning. That wasn't going too well.

" Riku can't sleep at night because they cud- "

" Okay, I see. " Zexion quickly said as he put a hand on Sora's mouth to keep him from talking. " Now, tell me why I would do that for you? I mean, I owe you nothing, right? "

" … " The teens didn't know what to reply. He got a point there.

" Besides, I'm not that close to those two. "

" Okay, I get it. I'll just forget about it. " the brunette said as he walked towards the door, Riku arising to his feet to follow him. But he froze when he saw his older brother catching the other's arm. Sora turned the head and looked at him, confused.

" I could reconsider it if you do me a favor. " Zexion said as a grin made its appearance. " Go on a date with me, and your request will be granted. " Riku's eyes widened. What was he thinking he was doing?!

" A date? " the brunette repeated, blinking in surprise. " _Those two **are** brothers after all. _" He heaved a sigh, then added: " What kind of date? "

" There's a movie I would like to see but no one wants to come with me. So, you'll come. "

" O-okay, as long as it's not a horror movie. "

" I don't watch these kind of things. Do you know the book 'An insomniac's dream'? "

" Of course I know it! They made a movie? How great! " Sora exclaimed, smiling from ear to ear. Zexion smiled at the excited teen, then looked at his brother. Oh, he seemed mad. " When are we going? " the brown-haired teen asked.

" On Saturday, at three. I'll pick you up. " That being said, the two teens left, one smiling and the other mumbling curses.

" Alright, all we need to do now is to take your stuff in my room without either of them noticing. It'll be hard, but we can still do it! " Sora cheerfully said, looking at his friend quickly.

" Hn." Came the other's reply. The brunette turned his head and stared at him. Something was definitively wrong with him.

" Why are you angry? "

" I'm not. " Riku grunted.

" You are, I can tell. Tell me what's wrong! " the blue-eyed teen insisted, but got no reply. He walked a bit faster and stood right before Riku, his eyes narrowing. " Tell me. **Now**. " he commanded. Riku gulped, not knowing what to say. He couldn't tell he was dying of jealousy because his own brother asked the one he had a crush on to go on a date. So, he just stared at the ground. Sora would grow tired and leave. Well, he thought he would. They stayed like that for almost half an hour. " Okay, I don't plan on staying here all night, so if you would be so good as to say something, I'd be grateful. " No reply. " Did I do something wrong again? " Still no reply. " Riku! " The ground looked so beautiful, and there was **no way **the silver-haired teen would stop looking at it to answer. Seriously, an angry brunette could be pretty stubborn! Like he was one to talk… Eventually, Riku lifted his head up when he felt hands clasping his cheeks, then pinching them.

" Ouch! What are you doing?! " the older boy exclaimed as he got away from the other's grasp. " It hurts, dumbass! "

" At least, it makes you talk. " Sora snaped back. The mood changed all of a sudden.

" Listen, I don't want to talk about it right now. " Riku said. " I need time, okay? " The brunette blinked a few times.

" Why didn't you tell me that earlier? We lost almost an hour standing here and saying nothing! " the smaller boy said, souding half angry and half amused. He smiled and then laughed at the stupidity of the situation. They both laughed for a while.

------

Meanwhile, as soon as the teens left his room, Zexion caught his cellphone and dialed someone's number. In fact, his mother's.

" _Hello? _" Trish said.

" It's me. I have good news for you and Misaki. " the boy said.

" _Really? _" she said with an amused tone.

" I asked Sora out for a date. "

" _How is that supposed to be a good thing?! What about your poor little brother?! _" Trish angrily answered.

" Oh, I think he's taking it well actually. Anyway, I need your help. "

" _Uh-uh,_ _I don't want to make him angry at me. Find someone else._ " That being said, she hung up. Great, now even his mother was mad at him, and he didn't had a chance to explain anything! However, one last hope still remained! And he dialed another number.

" _Yeah?_ " a woman said.

" Misaki? This is Zexion. "

" _Oh! Good evening boy! How are you? Is something the matter? It's kinda rare for you to call us! _" Misaki quickly said.

" Mom's mad at me and you're my last hope now. Would you help me? "

" _I don't know. Tell me what's wrong first._ " Zexion took a deep breath before he spoke. It had to turn out well!

" Sora's going to the cinema with me on Saturday, and I'd like to know how I can help his relationship with Riku to improve. " If only he had said it like that when he phoned his mother!

" _Oh, I see! Well, first you could ask him about Riku, like what he thinks about him. You could ask him anything, you know. He's too dense to understand your motives. _" She sighed and shook her head, though no one could see it. " _You have one courageous brother, you know. Wish him good luck for me. I'm sorry, I can't talk for too long, I'm cooking dinner. _"

" Okay. " Zexion answered. " Sorry for the bother. Bye. " he said, before he hung up. It didn't really helped him, but at least, he knew he could talk freely.

------

"Stop that. Right now. " Riku grunted as he sat up in his bed to send glares at the two teens lying on the bed next to his.

" Come on, we're not doing anything! " Axel said, sounding a bit annoyed.

" Yeah, of course. Then, how come he's got no shirt anymore! I'm sure he had one earlier! " the silver-haired teen exclaimed, pointing an accusing finger at Roxas who blushed like mad.

" I'm sorry, I told him – " the blonde began, but what soon interrupted by his boyfriend.

" If it bothers you, you know there's an empty bed in Sora's room. " the red head said, his eyes narrowing.

" But it's **my** room, here! " Riku snarled.

" It's mine too. "

" … " They said nothing for a moment, as Roxas' look darted from one boy to another. He was about to say something when Riku took his pillow, a blanket and went out of the room, slamming the door behind him.

" I'm sorry, I shouldn't have come over. " the blonde teen said.

" It's okay, he'll calm down quickly…I think. " Axel looked at the younger who shot him a worried glance.

Meanwhile, the silver-haired teen was stomping down the stairs. He was beginning to wonder why he took his pillow. There was one in the blonde's bed. Nevermind. He didn't even think about going back to put it in his bedroom, he was too afraid of what he could see there. He shuddered. He looked at the clock that hung in the corridor. It said 23 o'clock. Great, he'd probably wake the other up. Oh well, he would put all the blame on Axel. Everything was his fault! Yeah, and Sora will beat him up, just like the fellows from earlier that day. And he'd laugh before his dead body!

Ahem.

And there he was, standing before the room number 13 and trembling like a kid. He wasn't afraid, no. He was just a bit cold. Yeah, that's it: **cold**. He lifted a hand up and knocked, forgetting how to breathe for a short period of time. He heard the sound of covers being removed and footsteps. Slow footsteps. So Sora **was** already sleeping. Just his luck. The door opened and a sleepy brunette stoop at the door frame, his eyes half closed because of the corridor's lights.

" Riku? What're you doin' here? " Sora said with a sleepy voice, rubbing his eyes. His hair was a bit of a mess and his pajama's top was slightly pulled up and showing his stomach's skin. Riku gulped nervously.

" Th-they're-well…" he rambled. Sora blinked a few times then moved to the side so that his friend could enter.

" I see. It's high time they have their own room. " the blue-eyed boy said, slightly smiling. Riku entered and tried to walk towards Roxas' bed. **Tried**, because it was dark in there and he couldn't see that much. The other's eyes, though, were accustomed to the small amount of light in the room and took the other's arm to lead him. " There, you can sit now. " Sora said then yawned. He turned and was about to return in his bed when he felt Riku's grip on his pajama top. " Hm? " he asked, too sleepy to speak. Soon, the hand gripping on cloth searched for a hand to catch and pulled the other to make him sit. Now, sleeping was the last thing that was on the brunette's mind. He felt his friend's hand brushing against his cheek and a hot breath against his ear soon after. " What- " the brunette said in a breath and blushed.

" You still owe me a kiss. " the other whispered. He didn't came here for that, but the brunette looked so cute and attractive at the same time when he opened the door. He couldn't help it.

" I don't think this is a good idea. " Sora nervously said. " At least, not now. "

" Why not? "

" Because your hands are already sneaking their way under my clothes… "

" … Are they? " And at that moment, Sora wished the light switch was near him.

" Riku, how come you're always doing these kind of things ? I mean, I'm a boy, you know. " In his steady state, the green-eyed teen could have heard the slight fear in the other's voice. But it wasn't the case and he simply pushed the other down and kissed the blankets. Whoops, bad aim. When he felt the brunette's neck, he bent down and kissed it repeatedly, not paying attention to Sora's body that tensed up. When his lips touched the brunette's jaw, the other pushed him back.

" No! Stop it! " Sora exclaimed. And then, Riku realized how scared the other was. " Stop that, please… "

" I-I'm sorry, I didn't mean to… "

" Don't say anything. " the brunette whispered as he arose to his feet and sat on his own bed. Neither of them said anything else, and Riku noticed that Sora spent the night with his back turned towards him.


	15. Chapter 15

Disclaimer: Even if I bribed him, Sora kept telling me he wasn't mine….

A/U: Woa, I got more reviews than usual! That's so great! Thanks a lot! XD Ha ha ha, the poor Sora was even called a bonehead. I wonder what he'll be called this time? ; I'm not saying anything more than that! Read the chaper to find out what will happen! XD I hope you'll enjoy it!

------

Once more, Sora and Riku didn't talk to each other for days, which made their friends worried again. Then, Saturday came and the brunette went out with his silver-haired friend's brother. The drive to the cinema was awfully awkward and silent. Zexion wondered was could be wrong about the other but he decided he'd wait for Sora to talk about it when he needed to. The awaited moment came after they saw the movie – which none of them truly watched – and ate some ice cream at a small restaurant nearby. Zexion was talking about Riku and the teen seemed embarrassed by the mention of his soon-to-be roommate.

" I see. But you know, he didn't mean any harm. " Zexion said once Sora explained what had happened days before with Riku.

" I know. Riku's not the problem. " the brunette said, looking at his dessert, a frown appearing on his face.

" Then, what's wrong? " The younger boy remained silent for a moment before he spoke slowly and quietly – so quietly that it was hard to hear what he was saying.

" I just can't seem to forget about what happened. I thought I was alright until that night. "

" But you didn't react like that when Riku was drunk and kept hugging you…" the blue-haired man wondered, kocking his head to the side.

" I was a little drunk too. " the teen said, a bit ashamed. He glanced at Zexion who was thinking.

" I know someone who could help you. He's a psychologist. His office isn't that far from the school, I could drive you there. I don't know when he'll be able to see you, but I could give him a call today – if you're interested, that is. "

" A-a psychologist? " the brunette asked, frowning. He wasn't crazy! Just a bit down!

" Sora, seeing a psychologist doesn't mean you're crazy, you know. Most people go to see them because they need to talk about what's on their minds. Besides, crazy people go to **psychiatric hospitals**. " the young man said, smiling gently. The other looked at his ice cream again, then slowly nodded.

" O-okay. I could give it a try, I guess. " he almost whispered.

" Great. I'll be back in a minute. " That being said, Zexion got up and walked away. Sora kept eating his ice cream.

" _Still, it feels awkward… Well, I guess it wouldn't hurt to try. I don't have to go there more than one time. I'll just see…_ " he thought, not seeing the young man was back.

" Tomorrow. " he just said. The brunette eyed him, looking confused, so he added. " My friend. He says he can see you tomorrow. "

" What? But it's Sunday! "

" We'll go to his place. He said it would benefit you – in more than one way. Are you still okay with it? "

" He agreed. It would be rude to say I don't want to come anymore. " the brunette said as he shrugged. Yeah, he'll go and never see the man again anyway.

------

How surprised Sora was when he realized Zexion's friend's house was also his office! He entered and was greeted by the secretary who told him to go in the waiting room. The teen felt strange. This guy's secretary was a man….. How was that psychologist, then? He shuddered and decided he'd not think about it. The waiting room was small but cosy. Someone was already waiting there, the face hidden behind a magazine. He sat and looked at his watch. 14 o'clock. He hoped he wouldn't stay here for too long.

" Sora? " he heard. He lifted his head up and looked at the other one who was waiting. It was an older boy with blonde hair falling around his shoulders. And he had amazing brown eyes. Yeah, one would think it's pretty casual but his had a hint of orange in them. Now, that was less usual. Anyway, the brunette blinked in surprise.

" Excuse me, but do I know you? " he asked.

" No, but I do. I'm one of Laexus' friends. My name's Allan. " the boy said, holding his left hand out while smiling.

" Pleased to meet you. " the brunette said, shaking the blonde's hand.

" I was really surprised when Laexus told me it was you who fought him back. I always knew the stronger boys weren't the big ones! " Allan said, grinning. Sora frowned a bit, not knowing if the other was making fun of him or not. Maybe he was trying to get revenge on the other's behalf. " But you're not like he described you. " the boy added. " He didn't tell me you were so defensive. "

" I'm not! " the brunette said, pouting.

" Yes, you are. I complimented you but you didn't seem to like it. Is it because I told you I was his friend? " Blue eyes widened in surprise. Did he just read his mind or something?! " Don't look so scared! " the brown-eyed teen said. " I'm not one of those freaks who read people's minds! " he added and laughed. But he did it twice, though….. Then, a door Sora didn't even see opened suddenly as a blonde man appeared. He had long blonde hair too and a thin face. He looked really calm. No wonder he was friends with Zexion.

" Good afternoon, boys. " the man said. " If you would follow me. " He moved to the side and motioned for the two to enter the room. The brunette almost expected to find one of those psychologist's typical chairs but only two casual seats were placed in front of a huge desk. The two sat and waited for the man to speak.

" Okay, let me introduce myself – Sora, was it? " Sora nodded, and then he continued. " You can call me Vexen. Allan is my younger nephew, by the way, which is why he also came here today. I hope you don't mind? "

" It's okay. " the brunette said, while thinking. " _Like I had a choice! _" He turned his head and saw the other teen laughing softly. Argh, did he read in his mind **again**?!

" So, how are things doing, Al? " Vexen asked, making the teen stop laughing, to Sora's relief.

" Well, I think I'm feeling better now. I can see him and look at him in the eyes without feeling like killing him anymore. " Allan said, shrugging.

" Explain your situation to Sora. " Vexen said, earning a glare from his nephew. " Telling others about your problems is a progress in itself. It shows that you accept what is happening to you. " The blonde teen frowned and glanced at the other teen. " My father and I were really close, and I used to consider him as an example to follow. But I recently learned about my parents getting divorced because he cheated on my mother. That's when I began to hate him so much. "

" Anyone would. " the brunette said slowly.

" What he forgot to say – on purpose, I guess – is that he suffered from depression for the past two months because of it. " Vexen added.

" Two months?! You're only getting better now? It must have been difficult… " Sora said.

" Actually, I would say he got better pretty quickly. " Vexen said. " People suffering from such illness usually need more months, sometimes years before they can live almost normally. "

" Years? " the blue-eyed boy asked, souding surprised. He felt depressed himself from time to time, but it never lasted for more than two hours… The lucky guy!

" Depression is when one feels a little down. Then, there's true depression when one isn't expecting anything good to happen anymore. Most of the time, a great shock causes one to be in this state. But if you have a strong spirit, you can overcome it more or less quickly. " Sora nodded as he listened carefully. Once the man stopped talking, he thought about it. What he felt wasn't depression, for sure, and he felt relieved for it seemed really scary – at least for someone as cheerful as him.

" And you? Why are you here? " Allan asked, smiling. " It wouldn't be fair if I was the only one to speak, would it? " The brunette gulped loudly. Now, that was really embarrassing. How could he explain something so shameful?

" What you will say won't be told to others, so you can talk freely. " Vexen assured, smiling. Sora eyed him, then Allan. Both were staring at him, which didn't help at all. But they would probably stop once they heard him, right? He came here to talk about his problems after all. The brunette breathed, then talked.

" I- " he began but stopped. How could he say this? He didn't want to spend hours explaining everything in details, that would be a waste of time. All he needed to do was to say it clearly and quickly. " A teacher tried to sexually abuse me. " he finally said. Both boys' eyes widened.

" Now, Zexion told me it was serious, but I truly wasn't thinking about something like this. " the long haired man said, sighing. Sora looked at Allan who was staring at his feet.

" Aren't you…. making fun of me? " the brunette asked, earning confused glances.

" Why would we? " the blonde teen asked, frowning.

" Because I… I'm a boy, I'm going to college and something like that happened to me. And it was a man, at that! " the brunette said, then almost yelled when he finished his sentence. " That's wrong… That's just so wrong.." he added, hidding his face in his hands. The man sighed.

" Sora, you're not the one who should be ashamed. You couldn't help it. What happened is not your fault. "

" But I didn't do anything to stop it. " the blue-eyed boy said.

" Did you let him try to abuse you? Didn't you try to stop him? Not at all? "

" I **did** try to make him stop! I just couldn't, that's all. "

" You're contradicting yourself. " Allan said, earning a glare. " Now, don't look at me like that! " he added, frowning.

" When did it happen? " Vexen asked slowly.

" It was right after christmas break. "

" Three months ago…. How come you're only coming here today? Did something else happen? " the man asked, putting his elbows on his desk and resting his head on his hands' backs. Sora blushed and nodded. They patiently waited for him to explain.

" Someone te-teased me and I got really scared because I- I remembered that time. But I thought I forgot about it a long time ago. " he said, panic showing in his eyes.

" You can't possibly get over something like this in a few days. " the blonde man said. " You lost the trust you had in others, which is one of the results of being abused. "

" Are there other consequences? " Sora asked. It seemed like there were, seeing the way Vexen talked.

" Many, actually. There are two main ones, though. People being abused either lose trust in people they know, or get obsessed with sexual relationships. It seems like you're from the first kind. Was that man someone you truly trusted? "

" Well, we used to be on good terms. I thought of him as a good friend. " Sora admitted.

" Is the one who 'teased' you a good friend too? " the man asked.

" Well.. yes, but I know he wouldn't do something bad to me. " the brunette quickly added.

" But you got scared of him. " The teen blushed from shame. " Don't worry, your reactions aren't weird. " Vexen said, smiling softly. " What's stopping you from being carefree is that bothersome little thing called subconscious – a human's worst ennemy, in fact. " The teens eyed him, confused looks on their faces after they exchanged looks. " To put it simply, your consciousness tells you to stop being defensive, while your subconscious tells you to do otherwise and **does not** give you another choice but to listen to it. " He saw Sora's face pale dangerously.

" But..what can I do, then? " he asked, Allan nodding in agreement.

" Nothing. "

" Huh? " they said at the same time.

" That's what makes the whole thing a pain in the ass. You can't control your subconscious. You have to wait until it decides to allow you to be carefree. That's why I call it a human's worst ennemy. Most of the time, it's trying to protect you, but it makes a real mess of your life by doing so. " He paused then looked at the teens straight in the eyes. " But you can help it change its mind. "

" Really? How? " Sora asked, hopeful.

" You shoud find someone you could trust completely, like a lover. "

" Wh-what?! " the blue-eyed boy exclaimed, blushing. " I don't think it- "

" Love is one of the closest and strongest bond one can have with someone else. This could be a good cure to your illness. I'm not telling you to find someone right after you get out of here, and I'm not imposing this on you either. You could try to become closer to your friends. For example, that friend who scared you. Try to talk to him, even if it kills you inside. It won't be easy, I warn you. You'll have to make a lot of efforts which, I hope, you're ready for. "

" I will. " the brunette said, determination showing in his eyes. Allan glanced at him with envy, but smiled.

" Alright. I think it will be enough for this week. We'll meet again next Sunday, Al, as usual. As for you, Sora, I think we should meet again. I'll let you think about it, okay? Let Zexion know about your decision, so he can tell me. " Vexen got up and hold a hand out at Sora who shook it, smiling. Somehow, it felt nice talking to him. He didn't know if he'd come again, but he'd think about it seriously. When he excited the house, the sunlight blinded him for a few seconds and he hold a hand up to protect his eyes. The weather was kinda cool even though it was shinny outside. But it still felt nice. He sent a text message to Zexion to tell him he'd walk back to the dormitory.

" I'm sorry. "

Sora jumped and turned back quickly, a hand on his chest in a vain attempt to make his heart beat slower. Allan was following him.

" I didn't know about your circonstances. I acted like a total jerk. "

" It's okay. At least, it made me talk. " the brunette said, smiling sofly at the other who was now walking beside him. " By the way, it looks like you had a hard time, too. If my parents were to separate, I think I wouldn't take it well either. "

------

" Ugh, it's not right. Something's wrong! "

" Maybe he went out. He'll be back, don't worry. "

Misaki and Hiro were getting worried. **Really** worried. She tried to call her son at the dormitory but students kept telling her that he wasn't in his room right now. It has been an hour now, and they still didn't have any news from Sora. Suddenly, the phone rang and she quickly answered it.

" He-hello? " she said.

" Hi mom! It's me! Roxas told me you tried to call me. Is something wrong? " the brunette said, sounding worried. Well, he could!

" You dumbass! **You're **the problem! People kept telling me you were nowhere to be found and I began to think that maybe someone kidnapped you, or – "

" I'm sorry mom, I was….out. " Being the good and caring mother she was, Misaki knew something was on her son's mind when he talked. She heaved a sigh.

" Okay, what's wrong? " she said, knowing that he was probably blushing or thinking about an excuse. " And no lies. " she added. She expected him to talk about Riku. Zexion told her that he was on bad terms with him lately but he never told her why. She thought he'd talk about it, so she was quite surprised by the answer that came.

" I was seeing a therapist. "

" A what?! Sora! "

" I didn't know I'd see him! Really! Zexion talked about one if his friends yesterday and I got the meeting today! I wasn't expecting this myself! " he said, annoyed. Now, why was she reacting like that?! It was nothing to worry about, right?

" I see. " Once again, she heaved a sigh. A looooooong sigh. " Are you… going to see him again? " she asked.

" Maybe " he said, shrugging, though no one could see it.

" Sora, this isn't something to be taken lightly. It is quite serious. Do you know that? "

" I just needed to talk, that's all " he answered, frowning.

" You could do that with Roxas, or someone else. "

" No. I… I can't. " They remained silent for a minute.

" See? It **is** serious. You used to tell him everything! Why don't you do the same this time? Sora, please, tell me it isn't as serious as I think it is! " He didn't answer immediately, for his throat was dry.

" I'm sorry, I should leave. " he whispered, then hung up. He groaned as he wiped the tears that were falling and ran outside. He sat on a bench, pulling his legs to his chest, and hid his face. It was raining but he didn't care. " _Why am I crying over something like that? It's nothing serious... _" He remembered his mother's words. Right, he always would run to Roxas and tell him what was on his mind. Always. Until this time, that is. He couldn't talk about the way he felt about the whole situation. Sure, Mr Smith was in jail and couldn't hurt him anymore – well, until he was free again, but it would be in a long time and he surely wouldn't be living here anymore. But he couldn't help but remember the day this man betrayed him for real. He couldn't help but think anyone could be making fun of him and hurt him in the end. Since when was he thinking like that? Well, since the accident. It wasn't that much evident, but he had changed. Even if it was just a little. All people could see was that he was laughing and goofing around again. But didn't they say that the happier people were actually the most sad ones? " _While I laugh, I forget about everything else. I laugh because I'm happy._ " he thought, trying to convince himself. But who was he trying to fool? No one was around. He blinked a few times. Why did he want to fool himself? "_ What do I want to forget? _" Well, the answer was quite evident. " _Why can't I forget? It happened three moths ago, I should be okay with it now!_ " But the truth was he wasn't. He thought that talking about what happened in high school would help him and it truly did. But this time, it seemed different. It didn't seem that simple. " I guess I'd better go there again…." He whispered, wiping his tears again. " Crying never helped, so stop right now! " he firmly said.

" You can say smart things sometimes. "

The brunette turned around quickly and saw Allan standing behind him, a gently smile spreading across his face as he watched the other teen. He sat on the bench, next to Sora, and cupped the other's face with one hand. He wiped the tear that was threatening to fall and, surprisingly, he licked his wet thumbs, tasting the salty water. His gaze met Sora's and Allan smiled gently when he saw the younger teen blush slightly.

" So, what lies behind those tears? " the blonde asked, looking straight in blue orbs. The younger boy looked confused for a second, then he relaxed and sighed, looking at the ground.

" Nothing. " he lied. Well, it was just half a lie. He didn't really know himself why he was so disturbed. He glanced at the other who was shaking his head. Was that a grin on his face?!

" De-nial. " he said in a singy-song tone, earning a glare from the other. " You know, you won't get anywhere if you keep being so defensive. "

" I told you I'm not! " Sora yelled, balling his fists and standing up.

" Really? " Allan asked, brown eyes scanning the other's. Sora shuddered. It was like the other was reading in his mind again.

" Sora? Is everything okay? " someone said. That voice could only be his. The brunette froze a bit when he saw Riku running towards him. " Is he bothering you? " the silver-haired teen asked, stopping next to the bench and litteraly glaring at the blonde boy.

" No, we were just talking. " Sora replied, ignoring Allan's smirk spreading across his face. " I was planning on going back in my room anyway. " he added, walking away. Riku blinked a few times, looking at the blonde who only shrugged, then ran after the other. They walked in silence until they arrived in front of the brunette's room.

" Are your things ready? " Sora asked, his voice shaking a little. He wish it didn't but he couldn't help it. Whe he glanced at his friend, he saw concern in his gaze and he gulped nervously. Now, he made him worried again. Or embarrassed. Or angry. Or…

" Well, yes. Why do you ask? "

" I wanted to tell Roxas today. He'll have enough time to pack his things up and take them in your room. " The other crossed his arms to his chest, a thoughtful look on his face.

" Are you sure you still want to do that? "

" Yeah, of course! " Sora replied, his voice shaking a bit more.

" Sora, don't lie. " This time, the other was glaring at him, and he didn't like it at all. The brunette frowned and looked at his feet. " Listen, if you're not okay with it anymore, just tell me. " Riku frowned, seeing the other was still avoiding his gaze. " Look at me! " he exclaimed, lifting the other's head up. " Now, say you're okay with it – if you really are, that is. " he commanded. The brunette gulped nervously, but he kept locking his eyes onto Riku's.

" I'm-I'm okay. " he stuttered, but his gaze showed he was determined.

" Alright. " Riku said, not glaring anymore. They tried to enter the room and, to their surprise, it was locked. Sora took his keys and opened it. No one was in there.

" Where could he be? " he asked.

" Bonehead. If not here, where do you think he is? " the silver-haired teen said, poking the other in the chest. Sora pouted but followed the other to his room. They both froze as they heard noises coming from inside.

" Did you hear that, Riku? " the brunette asked, looking worried.

" Y-yeah. " the other replied, aquamarine eyes avoiding blue ones. " I think we'd better- " he began but couldn't finish his sentence, or even grab the other's arm when he saw him kicking the door open.

" Don't worry! I'm com…. " Sora's voice trailed off as Riku sighed. " Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaargh, my eyes!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! " the brunette yelled as he ran out of the room, not closing the door behind him, for he was way too disturbed by what he just saw to care about such a trivial thing. The silver haired teen quickly apologized as he closed the door, beeing careful not to look inside as he did such. He heard someone screaming and a loud noise in the stairs.

" Sora! Are you okay?! " he called, running to his friend's side. The other had fallen in his haste to go far away.

" I just can't believe it! My own cousin! Oh no, I'll never be able to look at him anymore! " the other said, not getting up at all. He just kept lying on the ground, his face hidden behind his arms. Riku couldn't help but laugh, earning a hidden glare.

" It's not like you never saw him naked. " the older teen said, still giggling.

" But it was always just the two of us! And he was not maki- "

" Okay, okay, I get the idea. " Eventually, the brunette sat up, and stared at his feet, his face still a deep red, or purple maybe? " Are you…okay? "

" No. " the other replied frankly. " You know, I think it's high time we tell him about our plan – when they're finished, that is. " His voice was a whisper and Riku had to pay attention to hear his friend.

Soon after, Roxas and Axel joined them in the brunette's room. The blonde was kind of sad when his cousin didn't look at him. Well, that was to be expected after what he saw. He came to apologize but he was surprised when Sora interrupted him. Was he that angry?

" There is something we need to tell you. " the brunette said. He glanced at Roxas who was blinking in surprise, for he thought the other wouldn't want to talk to him anymore. Anyway… " Well, it seems like you two keep making Riku have sleepless nights, so we came up with something. Actually, everything's ready. " He remained silent, and soon, Roxas couldn't take it anymore.

" What is ready exactly? " he asked, sounding nervous.

" Well, only Riku is ready to take his stuff here. Since the room's too small for us three, you'll have to pack your things and go with Axel, if you agree, of course. " the brunette said, a goofy smile plastered on his face as his cousin realized what the other just told him.

" Thank you, Sora! " he yelled, beaming and running in his cousin's direction. Said cousin hold a hand up to stop him, though.

" You'll thank me properly after you shower. I don't want to have his smell on me… " Sora whispered, blushing once again. The blonde teen laughed nervously.

------

The week passed by pretty fast, to everyone's surprise. The three friends often saw Sora talk with a blonde boy they didn't know and all they learned from him was his name. But more importantly, the exchange of rooms went well and three days were enough. It could have been way quicker if they didn't have school and if they didn't decide to celebrate on Sunday. During the week, Sora talked to Zexion and told him that he wanted to keep seeing Vexen, which the young man seemed to appreciate. Allan also told him they could go there together, and he even suggested that he'd pick Sora up at his room – Allan was also living in the dormitory. What the brunette didn't expect was Riku's reaction when the teenager came on Sunday.

" What do you want? " the silver-haired teen grunted, standing in the doorway to make sure the other couldn't enter.

" It's nice to see you, too. " Allan sneered. His face lightened up though when Sora appeared behind his friend.

" Hi, Allan! " the smaller boy said. " Let's go! See you later, Riku! " the brunette said, waving at his friend while he walked away with the blonde who stuck his tongue out at Riku. Did he just make fun of him?! The two stepped outside, and the walk to Vexen's office was nice and joyful. Well, until they entered and began to talk with the man. Somehow, the brunette seemed drastically different from his usual self.

" How come you're so different when you're here? " Allan bluntly asked Sora. Vexen eyed his nephew quickly, then turned his face towards Sora.

" Am I? " the blue-eyed boy asked, blinking in surprise. He looked nervously at the blonde man. Was it strange?

" Is Al different when he is here? " the man asked Sora.

" Well, no. " the brunette replied. Vexen smiled.

" Do you know why? "

" No. " Sora replied. " _But seeing this grin of yours, I assume **you** know why._ " he thought. He heard Allan chuckling beside him. Really, he could swear he heard his thoughts!

" Do you talk about your past with him or your friends? " Vexen asked, getting a shake of Sora's head in response. " Denial. " he and his nephew said at the same time. Sora frowned. " Remember what I said last week. Talking about your problems shows that you acknowledge them and it looks like that's not your case. " Blue eyes stared at the floor. Was it his fault if he was like that? It wasn't like he enjoyed this situation! " This is really troublesome. As long as you don't face the truth, I'm afraid you won't be able to move on, Sora. "

" Easier said than done. " the brunette grunted, now glaring at the floor.

" I know it too well. " the man said, smiling gently. " But you can change if you want to. It's- " He was interrupted by his secretary who knocked at the door and told him someone was asking for him on the phone. Vexen got up and walked out of the room, leaving the teens alone for a while. Sora was thinking about what he heard. So, trying to forget about everything wasn't the right solution?

" You know, I can understand what you're going through. " Allan suddenly said, making the other jump. " I also had the same problem. I was running away from the truth in the beginning, and when it caught me up, I was nothing but an empty shell. " He turned to face Sora. The teen was still staring at the floor but listened to him. " The more you try to forget about something, the harder it is. So, you have to accept what that man did in order to forget about it. "

" What did you do to get better? " Sora asked slowly, still avoiding the other's gaze. It made him embarrassed and he knew if he looked at the brown-eyed boy, he would end up blushing, which would seem really weird.

" Just what Uncle told you to do: I accepted what was happening to me. I had it the hard way, but it worked. " he said, shrugging.

" The hard way? " the brunette wondered, daring a glance at the other.

" I saw my father with the woman he was cheating on my mother with. Since I have what they call a 'strong spirit', I realised that I couldn't pity myself anymore because my mother needed me, or at least didn't need to have more worries than she already had. " He stared at Sora and saw the blush coming to the other's face. Somehow, Sora couldn't look away. " Maybe that's what you need, too. "

" To see my father? " the brunette asked, not being able to think straight anymore. Those eyes were hypnothising him. "_ Probably another power of his. _" the teen thought, not noticing the other had gotten up and was standing behind him.

" I could help you. " Allan whispered in his ear, his arms wrapping around his neck. Sora turned a deeper shade of red from the feeling. He hated it when people did that. That was what **he** always did. " Just ask me. " he added, his lips brushing soflty against his neck now. Allan felt Sora's body tense up but he ignored it.

" Stop, please. " the brunette asked, his voice breaking because of fear. He was seeing it again : standing in the small room, the man's arms around his waist and soft whispers in his ears as fear took over him. All this was happening again. Seeing the other wasn't talking, the blonde boy stood before Sora and saw the other's pale face. Sighing, he squatted and put a hand on the brunette's knee.

" Sora, look at me. " the teen asked. The blue-eyed teen slowly opened his eyes and looked at the other. " Who do you see? "

" Y-you? " the teen replied, confused.

" That's right. It's me. " Sora eyed him nervously, not understanding. " Your problem is that whenever people try to get intimate with you, you link it to your teacher. Everyone do not have motives like his. That is what you don't want to understand. "

" No, it's my subconscious that doesn't want to. " the brunette replied shlyly. Allan laughed.

" Yeah, you could say that. " He patted the brunette's head. " You know, you look adorable! You're only one or two years younger than me, but you look like a child. "

" Huh? " Sora asked, tilting his head to the side.

" Sorry if I kept you waiting! " Vexen said as he went in the office.

------

Soon, the boys had to go back to the dorms. Sora asked Allan to wait for him outside, for he had to talk with Vexen. The man was looking at him, wondering what could be wrong.

" I just wanted to know how much money you ask for a session. " the brunette bluntly asked. That sure made the other laugh. Woa, his laugh was really something! It was scary but also funny at the same time….

" Don' t worry about it. "

" What? But- "

" Zexion's friends are also mine, and there is no way I'd ask money to one of them. " Though Sora tried his best to convince the man, he never listened to him and understood this was like fighting a losing battle. So, he droped it and went outside; where the blonde teen was waiting for him. When they made eye contact, the brunette blushed hard, remembering the other's behaviour in the office. He knew it was just a means of helping him to get over his fear, but that was too embarrassing! He wasn't used to people being intimate with him. Riku had seen it earlier.

" Well, I guess that's where we part. " Allan said, facing Sora. They were in the dormitory's entrance. They could barely hear other students' voices for they were far from them. Sora liked the silence and relaxed.

" Yeah. " the brunette simply replied. What could he say other than that?

" Then, see you tomorrow. " the other said, coming closer. " Sora. " he whispered in the younger boy's ear, his voice sounding husky.

" Wha- " Sora wanted to say something but couldn't, for a pair of lips was currently on his.


	16. Chapter 16

Larxene: People! We should get rid of yaoi! This is dirty and against morals! If people keep writing these kind of things, it will lead the world to its destruction! So, if you don't want that to happen, just join us and-

Riku: kicks her Go away, you're in the wrong place to talk about things like that.

Sora: kicks her too He's right! Go away, devil!

Larxene: gets up with much difficulty Aw, come on! I was just joking! And it hurts, you stupid kids! I'll just beat the cra-

Becca: Yeah, yeah, but before you do that, just read this out loud. hands a sheet of paper

Larxene : takes the paper " Kingdom Hearts characters are Square-Enix's property. But the others are mine. " Why didn't you say it yourself?

Becca: Too lazy. evil grin

Larxene: beats her to a pulp then ran after Sora and Riku

Becca: E...Enjoy! Is all that blood mine...? pales

------

" Sora? Don't tell me you spaced out again! " Roxas whispered as he poked his cousin's arm. The brunette blinked a few times, then turned his head towards the blonde.

" Something wrong? " he asked.

" Well, duh! It's the fifth time already! And it's only been an hour since the lesson started! " Roxas replied, frowning. " You've been like that all day yesterday. What happened?! "

" I told you already. Nothing happened. " Sora lied as he looked at Cloud, who was glaring at the two. Oops.

" You just can't lie. " the blonde said, looking at his brother too. They remained silent for the rest of the lesson, while Riku kept looking at both of them. Something was definitely wrong. Even at the dorm, when they were alone, Sora wouldn't say a single word to Riku and it has been like that since the brunette came back from his mysterious stroll with the guy named Allan. Riku didn't like that. He was sure the other said or did something to his friend, but said friend didn't obviously want to talk about it, which made Riku really worried, seeing how things ended up the last time Sora hid things from his cousin and him. That was really complicated.

" Come on, not you too! " Riku lookep up at the annoyed looking blonde who was standing in front of him, hands on his hips. " Get up, we're going to the cafeteria. " he added, walking away. The green-eyed boy packed his stuff up and exited the classroom. He felt a hand grabbing his wrist and pulling him behind a group of students. Aquamarine orbs met narrowing blue ones.

" He's with him again. " Roxas whispered, pointing in front of him. Sora was talking with a boy.

" Allan... " Riku whispered. His brows furrowed as he noticed the growing blush on the small brunette's face and a too-familiar-for-Riku's-taste hand resting on his shoulder. " I'm going to **kill** him! " the silver-haired teen seethed as he walked towards the 'couple', fists balling to his sides. He didn't even hear Roxas calling him.

" Well, look who's here. " Allan said, smirking as he saw Riku coming. " What was his name again? " The brunette turned to take a look.

" Hey, Riku! We're here! " Sora called, waving at his friend.

" It looks like you two are really close. " the long brown-haired boy said, smiling. " Is he the one who 'teased' you? "

" What are you talking about? " Sora asked, looking at Allan and tilting his head to the side. He didn't know what he was talking about.

" Nevermind. " the other replied, poking the smaller boy in the head. Sora folded his arms to his chest, pouting. "_So cute!_ " Allan thought and smirked.

" Sora! We're going to eat lunch. Aren't you coming? " Riku asked, ignoring the other's presence.

" Well, it's nice to see you too. **Again**. " Allan snorted. Now, that was the second time! " Being one of Sora's friends, I thought you would be more friendly. " he added, frowning. Riku glanced - or more likely glared - at him, then walked away, pulling the brunette by the wrist.

" See you later! " Sora called. He followed Riku silently, not sure about what to say for a while. And then, he dared asking **the** question. " Are you angry? "

" Am not. " the other grunted. The brunette didn't insist. He knew too well that Riku would never admit he was actually angry. He didn't seemed in a bad mood earlier. " _It must be hormones_. " the blue-eyed teen thought. Soon after, he laughed at how stupid that sounded.

------

The first days of June were sunny and not too cold. In fact, one could almost say it was hot outside. Almost. The four boys sat on the grass and began to talk about everything. Their teachers were absent, so they decided to relax outside, to the brunette's joy. They were a bit tired, for they had had lots of homeworks for the past weeks. The school year would end soon, so the teachers were now less harsh on the students and decided to give them a post summer break... well, break. Axel had finals but he was as carefree as ever. He knew he'd succeed anyway. He always did.

" Say, Sora, do you know when you'll have the results of the contest? " Roxas asked.

" I think they said I would get an answer in the middle of July, or something like that. " the brunette answered.

" They sure take their time. " Riku said.

" I'm not the only competitor. " Sora replied.

" How do you feel about it? Do you think you can win? " Axel asked, curious.

" Dunno. We'll know soon enough. " the brunette said, shrugging.

" What's the first prize? " Roxas inquired, getting excited all of a sudden.

" A trip. They didn't say anything else. "

" Sounds nice! " the three boys said, imagining the beach, the sea and sand. Sora held back a laugh at his friend's expressions.

Once the day was over, the brunette litteraly threw his rucksack on his bed and went outside. Lately, he would lay on the grass of the dormitory's campus, right in front of his room, as he agreed with Riku. This way, the teen could talk to the brunette whenever he needed to - and, mostly, he could keep an eye on him. He didn't say that to the younger teen, of course. And so, as usual, the spiky-haired boy lied down on the grass, his arms crossed beneath his head and looked at the clouds as they passed in the sky. After a while, he sat up when he heard the silver-haired boy talking.

" Why don't you come with me, Riku? It would be easier to talk. "

" No way. I'm not sitting there. "

" What? Don't tell me you're afraid of getting all dirty? " Sora teased. Riku froze at that sentence. In fact, he was the kind of guy who hated to be dirty. He had always been like that. He turned his head to look at his friend who had those irresistible puppy-like eyes.

" Okay, I'm coming. " the older teen said, sighing in defeat. He'll have to find something to resist this look of his. He opened the window and jumped outside. Living on the first floor was pretty handy. He sat next to Sora and looked at the far buildings of the town.

" When I was little... " the brunette began. His silver-haired friend looked at him. " I used to lie on the grass all day during spring and summer. What I loved the most was the smell of mowed grass. So, when dad mowed it, I'd roll about it. Mom would yell at me because my clothes had green stains on them, so did my face and all. And then, dad would join me and make mom angrier. That was so much fun! Well, it still is. " Sora concluded, laughing. Riku couldn't describe the feeling that was overwhelming him. It was the first time the blue-eyed boy told him about his likes. It wasn't that much, but still! He also felt kind of sorry for not being able to share his hobby. " What about you? " Sora asked.

" Hm? " the other replied, still half lost in his thoughts.

" Weren't there things you loved to do? "

" Well..." Riku trailed off, rummaging through his memories. " I loved bubble baths. "

" No, that's not what I meant. " the other said, giggling. " You weren't the perfect child, I guess. Didn't you ever do things that made your parents mad at you? "

" I never did. Unlike you, I was a good child. "

" Come on! There **has** to be something! Tell me! " the brunette commanded.

" Let me think about it. " Riku thought for a moment, Sora looking at him expectantly. Suddenly, the green-eyed boy laughed madly. " Hahahahaha, oh yeah, I totally forgot about that! " he said, once he calmed down.

" What? What? Tell me! " the other said, sitting up again.

" I was about eight years old. I saw a film on TV. It was about a man wearing a fake mustache. I think it was a magic one or something like this. I recall that each time he put it on, people didn't recognize him. Well, I found his mustache cool and I wanted to have one too. So, I cut a lock of my hair and glued it on my face. Mom could have killed me for that! But dad found that funny and he made fun of me for a long time. "

" That was completely stupid! " Sora exclaimed, hugging his stomach, not being able to stop himself from laughing.

" There are other things! " the other said, grinning. After a while, their stomach hurt, for they laughed a lot, and Riku finally let himself lie on the grass. It was nice, and he understood why Sora was doing it all the time. They kept looking at the clouds until a voice broke the silence.

" Looks like you're having fun! " Both turned their head to see Allan walking in their direction.

" Oh, great. " Riku mumbled, but Sora didn't hear him.

" Wanna get lazy with us? " Sora offered, beaming.

" Sure, why not. " the long-haired teen replied, as he lied next to the brunette. Riku glanced at his friend. There he was again, blushing! What aquamarine eyes couldn't see was Allan's hand holding Sora's. And the younger teen didn't try to move his hand away. In fact, he didn't hate the sensation at all, thus he held it tighter. Not bearing the other's presence anymore, Riku got up and went back in his room, pretending to have 'things' to do.

" I think he doesn't like me at all. " Allan said, sighing. " I'd like to know why, at least. "

" Roxas told me Riku was cold towards him when they first met. But now, they're really good friends. " Sora said, smiling as he looked at the other. " Don't worry, he'll talk to you someday. "

" I hope so. It would be really bothersome otherwise. "

" Why would it? " the brunette asked, looking confused.

" Well... "

------

The next day, Riku was sitting on his bed, listening to his mp3 player. He saw the door opening and a red-haired guy jumping next to him, saying things he couldn't hear. So, he stopped his player.

" What did you say? " the silver-haired teen asked.

" I told you that I was happy for you! " Axel said. " After all those months, Sora and you are finally an item! "

" A what?! " the other teen asked, arching an eyebrow. Roxas suddenly entered the room, a frown appearing on his face when he saw his friend's expression. " Roxas, what is that all about? " Riku asked, noticing the blonde's uneasiness.

" What are you talking about? " the blue-eyed boy dared.

" I don't know. Actually, I thought you could tell me about Sora and this 'item' thing. " Riku told the other, frowning.

" Dammit, Axel! I told you to shut your big mouth! " the blonde yelled at his lover.

" Now, cool it, will you? Everyone at school is talking about it anyway. " Axel told his boyfriend, then he turned to face Riku. " So, it wasn't you? "

" Don't you think I would be the first one to know Sora was going out with me? " the silver-haired teen snaped. Now, he didn't like that at all. He looked at Roxas, his eyes narrowing. " So, will you tell me what's going on or do I have to ask Sora himself? " Roxas gulped loudly.

" Well, it's- "

" What are you all doing here? Are you partying? " a cheerful voice asked. Everyone looked at the door where Sora stood. " What? " he added, feeling nervous because of their stares.

" C'mon, Axel. " Roxas said, pulling the tall boy outside of the room and closing the door behind them. Sora could swear he heard him whisper 'good luck' when he passed him. Must be his imagination.

" I heard you're going out with someone. " Riku told the other casually.

" How come you already know about it? He confessed to me yesterday. " the brunette replied, bitting his lip nervously. Why was he feeling nervous in the first place? " Oh well, I was planning on telling you anyway. " he added, smiling as he walked towards his roommate's bed and sat on its edge. " You see, right after you left us yesterday, Allan told me he wanted to go out with me. " The words were like a thousand neddles piercing through Riku's heart. Did he **hear** that right?

" A-Allan? He... " the other stuttered.

" Yup, we're officially a couple! Isn't it great? " the brunette happily asked.

" Couple... " Riku repeated, clenching his fists.

" What's wrong, Riku? You look pale. " Blue eyes seemed worried as they lookd at the other's. Sora held out his hand to touch his friend's forehead, but he gasped when Riku quickly shoved it.

" I'm fine. " he grunted, as he got up and exited the room fast, not seeing Sora's worried face. The small brunette got up and looked out the window, watching Riku walking firmly towards the dorms' doors a few seconds later.

" May I come in? " someone asked as they knocked.

" Yeah, sure. " Sora replied, turning his face and smiling at Allan. He looked out the window again and wasn't able to see Riku anymore. He sighed.

" Tell me what's bothering you. " the older teen said, wrapping his arms around the smaller boy's waist from behind, and resting his chin on Sora's shoulder.

" Riku's angry, and I don't know why. Again. " the blue-eyed boy whispered, leaning against the other's chest. " We've been fighting a lot recently..."

" Oh, I see! " Allan cheerfully said. " He should find a cute girl to love too! " he added, kissing the small brunette's neck.

" 'Too'? Hey, I'm not a girl! " Sora replied, laughing slightly.

" Really? But your hips are almost like a girl's. They're so fascinating..." he trailed off as his hands rested on Sora's hips. The blue-eyed boy gulped nervously but slowly relaxed. " You're still not used to it, right? " Allan asked, making his boyfriend turn so that he would face him.

" I-I'm sorry. " the other whispered, looking at his feet.

" It's okay, don't worry. I'll help you to get over all this. " Seeing Sora was still looking at the ground, he lifted the other's chin to make eye contact with him. " Are you still thinking about what you told me? Maybe you should talk to uncle. " Allan added.

--Flashback--

_" I think he doesn't like me at all. " Allan said, sighing. " I'd like to know why, at least. "_

_" Roxas told me Riku was cold towards him when they first met. But now, they're really good friends. " Sora said, smiling as he looked at the other. " Don't worry, he'll talk to you someday. "_

_" I hope so. It would be really bothersome otherwise. "_

_" Why would it? " the brunette asked, looking confused._

_" Well... " Allan sat up and asked Sora to do the same. The small brunette complied, a frown on his face. What was going on? " Actually, I like you a lot. "_

_" Thanks! I like you a lot too. You're a nice guy! " the blue-eyed teen cheerfully replied._

_" No, you didn't get it the right way. "_

_" Then, what did you mea- " Sora said but stopped talking when he understood what the other was trying to say. He wasn't so dense... sometimes._

_" Would you like to go out with me? "_

_" What? But we met only two weeks ago, and we barely talk to each other, and- "_

_" Let's say it was love at first sight. Look, we're getting along pretty well, you're cute and every time I look at you, there're those dirty thoughts that keep flashing in my mind. "_

_" Dirty what? " Sora asked, pouting. Allan only laughed and cupped the younger boy's cheek with his hand. He leant forward and kissed him. He was glad when the other kissed back._

_" Is it a yes? " he asked smugly once he broke the kiss. " I suppose it is. " he added, when he saw Sora' s face turning a deep shade of red._

_" Say, Allan... " he began. He glanced at his now lover, who nodded as a sign to continue. " Do you think... it could be possible that I like boys because of what happened to me? " he asked, concerned._

_" I think I read something like that in one of uncle's books. Well, yes, it could be possible. You discovered your sexual preferences after the accident? "_

_" Yes...wait, no! "_

_" Yes or no? " Sora tried to remember the day he found out that liked boys. It was definitely when Riku kissed him, after he passed out because of Kairi's attack. It triggered everything. It sure felt good. And somehow, kissing the green-eyed teen seemed to be something familiar, though he couldn't tell why it felt like that._

_" No, I knew it before. " Sora stated, smiling at the memory._

_" Then, you don't have to worry about that. " Allan concluded, shrugging._

_" Yeah, you're right. "_

--End of flashback--

"No, you already helped me about the fact that I like boys. I'm okay with that. It's just that it's still hard to let others touch me like that. Smith was the only one who did it, so I always recall that day whenever someone gets too intimate with me. I still need time to get used to it. I won't think about that anymore after a while. " Sora said, scratching his neck nervously. He looked at Allan, who was smiling at him. That smile could make an ice field melt.

" You're strong, you know. I think I'm jealous. " the other said, then locked his lips on the smaller boy's. Sora was startled by the sudden move, but he quickly gave in to the kiss. The long-haired boy gently bit his lover's bottom lip so that he could deepen the kiss, which he could easily do since Sora opened his mouth with no protests. Smirking in the kiss, Allan explored the other's moist cavern and he eventually invited the tongue that lived there to do the same. It timidly replied at first, but soon, it danced with the other, trying to lead the dance. The blue-eyed boy's lips felt a bit cold when the brown-eyed teen's moved away. They both needed to breathe anyway.

" Now, that's strange. " Allan stated, folding his arms to his chest.

" What is? " Sora asked, blinking in confusion.

" The way you kissed me. "

" Was- was it that bad?! I'm sorry, I- " the small brunette said, panicking, but his boyfriend quickly interrupted him.

" It wasn't. In fact, it was great. But... How do I say this? It seemed like you adapted your way of kissing to someone else's. "

" I'm afraid I don't understand. " Sora said, frowning. He was trying hard to, though.

" Nevermind, it's nothing anyway. " the other replied, shrugging.

------

Later that day, in the evening, Roxas was worried about Riku and his cousin. He knew the older boy left his room - he saw him coming back to the dormitory in the evening when he looked out the window. And being the curious boy he was, he couldn't help but go check on them, ignoring Axel's protests. He felt worry slowly taking over him with each step he took.

Meanwhile, Sora was watching Riku, who was sitting on his bed, his back leaning against the wall. He was drawing something vigorously, which meant he was in a foul mood. Eventually, the brunette couldn't take it anymore.

" Riku, why won't you talk to me? "

" What do you want me to say? " the other replied, glancing at his roommate while answering.

" You know what I meant. " the blue-eyed boy said, sighing. He got up and walked towards the other's bed, sitting on its edge. " Look, when I arrived here, you were the first person I talked to and also the first one I became close to - except for Roxas, that is. I know something's bothering you and all I want is to help you, which I can't do until you decide to speak to me. "

" There' nothing you can do. " Riku said. "_ Except for breaking up with mister smart ass._ " he thought.

" There is. And I actually know what to do. " the brunette replied, pouting. " That's why I decided I'd help you find yourself a girlfriend. " The silver-haired teen's head shot up, almost glaring at the other. " Tell me what kind of girl you like and I'll find one who matches your tastes! "

" Just drop it, okay? If I want a girlfriend, I'll be able to find one myself. "

" Don't be so stressed! Look, this could help you! " Sora said, an evil grin on his face as he took his laptop.

A little while earlier, Roxas was going down the stairs and slowly walking towards his former room. Standing in front of its door, he breathed slowly to calm down before knocking.

" _That's just ridiculous! I shouldn't be so-_ " His thoughts were interrupted by a strange noise coming from his cousin' s room. Was Sora singing? Ant **that** song...

" Don't tell me he's singing **that**?! " he whispered. He only knocked once and entered. He froze.

" -wers; U is for ukelele; N is for nose picking, chewi- Oh, Roxas! Hi! " the brunette exclaimed when he stopped singing, to Roxas' relief. But it was too late.

" How many times did I tell you to never **ever** sing that again?! " the blonde yelled, trying to strangle the poor brunette.

" But-but I just tried to cheer Riku up! And you're not my father, I can do what I want, even singing Spongebob's songs! " the other replied, grinning and then sticking his tongue out.

" Yeah, Riku looks really fine! " Roxas ironically said, pointing to said boy. Sora turned his head and noticed green eyes looking blankly at the screen and the boy was also smiling absent-mindedly. " See! You made him have a mental breakdown! "

" I wouldn't go that far. " the brunette said.

" That..." Riku whispered. The two boys looked at him. " That... that was totally cool! I want to see it again!! "

" Oh no, he's lost his sanity! " the blonde exclaimed, a horrified expression appearing on his face. "Or worse. Maybe he's possessed! We should find an exorcist and- "

" I have to remember the lyrics! I'm sure Yuna would like that, don't you think, Sora? "

" Of course she would! Let's watch it again! "

" Alright! " Riku cheerfully said.

" I'm **not **staying here. Who knows, maybe stupidity is contagious. " Roxas mumbled, then exited the room. Although he said that, a smile was plastered on his lips when he returned to his room. He got worried over nothing after all, and that was for the best. Sora and Riku spent their evening listening and learning the song's lyrics, thus they completely forgot they had a work to do for their History class. They were awaiting the worst, but the teacher said nothing about it. Maybe he wasn't feeling well? At least, it saved them!

They didn't go to school in the afternoon. Their teacher wasn't coming anymore because he wanted his summer break to begin earlier. If only the others were like him too... Anyway, Roxas joined the two and they went back to the dormitory together. They decided to drop their bags in their rooms and to go eat something in town, then they'd go for a walk. They bought sandwiches and headed to the mall.

" It's huge! " the brunette exclaimed once they entered the building.

" You never came here before? " the silver-haired teen asked. The two boys shook their head no. " I'll show you around then. " The first floor almost had only clothes stores and most of them were expensive ones. Sora and Riku laughed a lot when the blonde blushed because of one of the workers, who winked at him, smiling all the while. The brunette noticed that many girls were staring at Riku as the group passed them. He tried to see if the older teen was interested in any of them but he just ingored them. Finding him a girlfriend wouldn't be an easy task... But Sora was a stubborn kid and he wouldn't drop his plan, even if his friend told him to. Sora was glad, but also a little sad – just a little – that no one noticed him. Oh well, Allan did and that was all that mattered! After a while, they decided nothing was interesting there, so they went to the second floor.

" Ah, there's a library over there! I'll be back! " Sora exclaimed.

" Okay, we'll be in the humor store. " the blonde said, heading for it, Riku following him.

" _So many books! The store at home is really tiny compared to this one!_ " the brunette thought.

" Hey, if it isn't Sora! " Hearing his name, he turned to look at the man who called him.

" Mister Vexen? What are you doing here? " the blue-eyed teen cheerfully asked as he walked towards the man. " You bought many things! " he added, looking at the pile of books the blonde boy was carrying. " Are they for work or is it a hobby? " he asked,noticing that they were all about psychology.

" Both. In a way, my job is like a hobby. " the man replied, smirking. " I have tons of them at home. I could show them to you next time you come. "

" That would be nice, but don't expect me to understand a single word it says. " Sora said, laughing.

" You shouldn't say that! Allan read half of them and he understood. So, it wouldn't be difficult for you. "

" Do you think so? "

" Of course. Actually, I think some of them could help you. I'll just prepare a bunch of books for you. "

" But I won't be able to give them back before a while. I'll be back in September only. "

" Don't worry about that. As long as you intend to give them back, it's okay. " Vexen said, laughing. That creepy laugh...

" Who is it, Sora? " Roxas asked. He entered the store, Riku walking right behind him.

" Well, erm- " the brunette mumbled, looking the other way. Vexen blinked in surprise.

" You didn't tell them? Sora, I thought you were okay with this. Don't tell me you only come becasue of Zexion? "

" No, it's not like that! I just kinda forgot to tell them. " Sora said, then looked at the two confused boys. " Roxas, Riku, let me introduce you to mister Vexen. He's a psychiatrist I'm currently seeing. "

" **Psychologist**, to be exact. " Vexen corrected. " I do more than just listen to my patients. "

" You're seeing a psychologist? " Roxas asked, frowning.

" Oh, don't worry about that! He's not in such a bad state. He's actually getting better. " the long-haired man told Roxas.

" That's not the point. " Riku said. " We didn't know he was feeling bad in the first place. He told us nothing. "

" Well, I suppose he'll be able to tell you everything now. Right, Sora? " Vexen replied.

" Yeah, and it's all thanks to you. " Sora said.

" You did most of the difficult job by yourself. " the man replied. He then looked at his watch and had to leave quickly, for he had patients to see. When Sora was done looking through the library's shelves, the teens decided it was time for them to go. The brunette had many things to explain to his friends...


	17. Chapter 17

Disclaimer: We all know how Sora and Riku make a cute couple! Unfortunately, their original owner known as Square-Enix won't let them live happily ever after and will create other characters to prevent them from being happy! How mean!!

AU: Nothing much to say, except that I'm greatly grateful that you read this story, kept following it so far and even posted reviews! I love them! Don't hesitate to post your suppositions about what could be happening next, or even tell me what you'd like to read in the next chapters! ( maybe I could grant your wish! ) Anyway, enjoy!

------

" You went to Vexen's office for that?! Okay, it's not something to take slightly, but we could have helped you! We wouldn't make you pay to talk to us at least! " Roxas exclaimed, a bit irritated. His cousin had explained why he needed to see a psychologist and – he knew it – the blonde didn't take that well.

" I would have talked to you if I were able to. It was just too embarrassing. " the brunette replied.

" He's a **stranger**! " the other said.

" And, as strange as it may seem, it's easier to talk about this kind of things with someone I don't know. I… I was too afraid you'd think I'm strange or something. "

" Stupid. We'd never think that, even if you told us you like onions. " Riku said.

" But, Riku, it's not strange to like them, you know. " the blue-eyed teen answered, arching an eyebrow.

" It is! How can people like something so smelly? Really! " the green-eyed boy exclaimed.

" You don't like onions, do you? " Sora asked.

" Well, duh! " The brunette laughed softly. That was something he shouldn't forget. " Wait a minute… " Riku quickly added. " Vexen's office was where you were going each Sunday? "

" Yes, with Allan. " Sora replied. " That's where I met him. " he added, smiling as he remembered their first meeting.

" Oh, I see. " the silver-haired teen grunted, but he quickly sighed. He didn't want to quarrel with his friend again. It would make him worry and that was the last thing he wanted. Anyway, he had no right to be angry at Sora for going out with someone. It's not like they were a couple. Well, they **were** but the younger boy forgot everything. Just Riku's luck… He looked at Sora and noticed his worried expression. " I'm happy for you. " he said. Wasn't it the right thing to say, after all?

" T-thanks. " the brunette replied, blushing.

------

And just like that, the school year ended and everyone went back to their homes. Allan had much difficulty to leave the brunette, who told him that they'd see each other again soon. Now, he didn't seem that sad from his lover's point of view. In the end, they promised each other to send text messages often, which they did. Time passed by fast and it was already the middle of July.

" Sora, who is Allan? " Misaki asked her son. He was outside, lying on the grass while reading one of the books Vexen lent him.

" How do you know him? " the brunette replied, blinking in surprise.

" Well, girls like gossips, you know. And it just happened that Trish heard Riku talking about a boy called Allan and who seems pretty close to you. " she said, looking straight in her son's eyes. She paused for a second. " So, who is he? " Sora sighed. He couldn't escape it, so he may as well tell her everything to end it quickly.

" He's my boyfriend. " he said, looking at his mother nervously. " You're not angry, are you? "

" Why would I be angry? " she asked, frowning.

" Well, because I… I'm not like the other boys. I don't like girls… " he whispered the last part, looking at the ground.

" Sora, you should know. I wouldn't interfere in your private matters. As long as you're happy, nothing matters. " she said and beamed when she saw the boy's uneasiness disappearing. " _I feel bad for Riku, though._ " she thought. " Anyway, there's a letter for you! " She handed said letter out to her son who caught it slowly.

" It's the contest's results! " he whispered, sweat appearing on his forehead. He finally had the answer he was waiting for but he was afraid of knowing it.

" Well, what are you waiting for? Do you want me to open it for you? " Misaki offered.

" No! I'll do it myself. " the boy quickly answered, ripping the envelope open. He took the sheet of paper out of it and read its content. His mother stood in front of him, waiting. "I… " the small brunette began.

" Yes? " his mother pressed.

" I won… " he said, looking at his mother.

" And that's your reac – Woa! "she exclaimed as she saw her son quickly getting up and pulling her by her arms to hug her quickly, then he jumped all around the garden and ended up screaming and laughing madly as he rolled about the grass.

" What's that noise? " Hiro asked, joining her wife who was trying to scold Sora.

" Our son won the writing contest he entered. " she said, sighing. For a college student, her son was still acting like a child. She saw her husband running in Sora's direction. At least, **he** would be able to reason with him maybe.

" That's so great! Congrats, son! " the man exclaimed, then joined the teen on the grass.

" Not you too! " Misaki complained. " I'll have a hard time cleaning your clothes **again**! "

The woman's mood enlightened quickly, for Trish was paying her a visit that afternoon. So, when the doorbell rang, she was over-excited when she opened the door.

" Welcome! Oh, you also came, Riku? That's nice! " Misaki exclaimed, moving to the side and motioning for the two to enter the house. They went in the living room and there, they saw one of the strangest thing they ever saw. Sora and his father were sitting on the sofa, wearing nothing but their boxers. Riku gulped nervously.

" Okay, I think you got the message. You two can go and put clothes on. " Misaki said. Sora greet Trish and caught Riku by the wrist and pulled him upstairs, towards his bedroom.

" What was going on here? " Riku asked the younger teen, closing the door while talking.

" Dad and I got punished because we were fooling around on the grass. " the brunette explained, putting a yellow T-shirt on. " Oh yeah, Riku! I won the contest! I just can't believe it! " he added, turning towards his red faced friend. " Woa, are you hot, Riku? "

" I'm not. " the other mumbled. " _But **you** are. " _he thought as he glanced at the brunette's legs. His chest was so nice too, but that damn piece of clothing had to ruin everything! To think there was a time when he could touch it almost freely…

" If you say so. " Sora shrugged as he talked. He looked through his closet and decided that jean bermuda shorts would do, then he pulled them on.

" What did you win? " the silver-haired teen asked, attempting to stop himself from thinking too much.

" They said I won a one week vacation on a luxuous cruise. I can bring 4 people with me. I think it's on the first week of August. Will you be free then? " the blue-eyed boy asked, beaming.

" Me? But there are surely people you'd like to invite other than me. "

" You're the first one I thought about. Please, come! " the brunette pleaded.

" Well, it's okay with me but I should ask mom. "

" Let's go ask her now! " Sora exclaimed, running out of his room.

Meanwhile, Misaki was talking with Trish in the kitchen, drinking iced tea.

" So, Allan is his boyfriend… " Trish said, sighing. " I couldn't tell, seeing that Riku didn't seem hurt by that fact. He's as emotionless as his father. " she concluded, heaving a sigh again.

" I feel sorry for onion boy. He's a good kid and I truly thought Sora would end up sharing his feelings… " Sora's mother said, staring at her glass.

" 'Onion boy' ? What's that nickname? " Trish asked, slightly smirking.

" There you are! " Sora cheerfully exclaimed, entering the kitchen.

" What is it, hun? " Misaki asked.

" Actually, there's something I'd like to ask Trish. " the brunette said, looking at his friend's mother. " Can Riku come with me on vacation in August? "

" Vacation? Sounds nice! Where are you going? " Riku's mother asked.

" Well, it's a one week trip on a cruise I won in a contest. "

" That's great! Congratulations! Riku, I'll be counting on you to take lots of photos! "

" Thanks mum! I will! " the other teen exclaimed, smiling from ear to ear.

" Will you and dad come too? It will be fun! " Sora asked his mother.

" We can't. We'll be working and it's too late to ask for vacation. Why don't you ask Roxas? I'm sure he'll be glad to come with you two. " she said, smiling at her son.

" Alright, I'll ask him! " the blue-eyed boy replied.

" Oh, and why don't you come at our house the week before your trip? This way, you'll be able to see Riku before we leave. What's more, we're living closer to the port. "

" You're leaving? " the brunette asked.

" Yeah, we're going abroad at one of my uncle's house. I didn't see him for years. " Riku told Sora.

------

The blue-eyed teen spent his remaining week calling his cousin and other people to ask them if they were free on August. Once he found four people to accompany him, it was already time for him to pack his things and head towards his best friend's house.

" I need to buy things at the grocery store. " Trish said, on the second day since Sora's arrival. " Are you coming, Riku? "

" It's too hot outside. I'm staying here. "

" Okay. Sora's coming with me so look after the house well while we're out. See ya! " she exclaimed, the brunette following her to the front door, hearing a far ' I'm not a dog! ' coming from her son's bedroom. The streets were calm and they met a few people on their way. Both were sad to leave the fresh store, but they couldn't spend the whole day there. Right?

" Those strawberries were really cheap! I'll make some ice cream, you guys will love it! My dad used to make a lot of it when I was a child! "

" Really, you were lucky! My dad doesn't cook. "

" If you want, I can show you how to make it! " Trish said as she crossed the road without looking out for cars.

" Watch out! " Sora exclaimed, seeing a red car driving fast in her direction. He ran and pushed her to the other side of the road, where she landed. She sat up, still under the shock and immediately searched for the brunette. The car had stopped and before it, the boy was sprawled on the ground.

" Oh god! Sora! " she exclaimed, running in his direction. She had luck it was a one-way street, for she would have caused another accident by crossing it again. She let out a breath she didn't know she was holding when Sora sat up.

" Don't worry, I'm fine. " he said, his hand on his chest's side. He was sweating. The driver got out of his car and knelt next to Sora to help him getting up.

" Are you alright, boy? Get in, I'll drive you to the hospital. " the man said, then he looked at Trish, frowning. " Are you his mother? You should be more careful when you cross! " he angrily added.

" I-I'm sorry… " was all Trish could say at that time, for she was still shocked.

" Don't worry about it. " Sora said, trying to smile to his friend's mother. It was hard since his ribs were aching like mad. " Just… be careful next time, okay? "

" I promise you it won't happen again. " she whispered, almost crying.

" I think we should go quickly. " the man said as he made the teen stand and help him to get in his car, both followed by Trish. The drive to the hospital was pretty quick, thanks to the lack of cars on the roads. The driver stayed with them until a nurse asked Sora to follow her. The teen told him he would be okay and politely thanked him for taking him to the hospital. Once the scan was done, the brunette put his T-shirt on and waited for the doctor's visit.

" Oh, sorry. I think she forgot to tell you to wait before dressing up. Could you take your top off again, please? " the old man kindly asked, though he wasn't smiling at all. Oh well… The blue-eyed boy did what he was told. " So, it seems you got lucky, kid. If you were hit a little harder, you would have broken ribs. They're just cracked but, as you can feel it, it still hurts. So, you'll have to put ointment and bandages for two weeks. It should be enough. " the doctor said, walking towards the teen as he took the tube.

" Are you planning on putting it on me now? " Sora asked, frowning.

" Well, yes. " the man replied, confused by the other's reaction.

" Please, don't. I'll do it myself. "

" Is everything alright? " the doctor asked, now being suspicious

" Yes, don't worry. I just… want somebody I know to do it. I know it's rude, but don't ask please. " The man let him go and followed him to see who accompanied him. When he heard Sora asking Trish to help him putting the ointment, he didn't find it necessary to worry anymore. He had other patients to take care of anyway.

Meanwhile, Riku was worried sick. " _It should take at most thirty minutes to go to the grocery store and come back here. But it's been almost three 3 hours since they left! Something happened, I'm sure of it! _" he thought, nibbling his fingernails while walking in circles in the living room. He let out a heavy breath when he heard the two's voices coming from the entrance.

" You come back late! What happened?! " Riku exclaimed as his mother and his friend walked in the room.

" We had a little problem. " Sora simply replied. The silver-haired teen glanced at his mother who was looking awfully pale. " Can you help me, then? " the brunette asked the woman as he pulled a chair towards him. Trish nodded.

" What's **that**?! " the green-eyed boy almost yelled when his friend took his T-shirt off. He had a huge bruise beginning to appear on the side of his chest.

" It's nothing, really. Don't worry. " the brunette answered, smiling slightly. He sat as Trish put some ointment in her hands. She slowly massaged the teen's bruise and around it. She froze when she felt his torso's muscles tense up. He was wincing.

" Oh, Sora! I'm so sorry! " she exclaimed, crying on the teen's knees. She couldn't hold the tears back anymore.

" D-don't be! I shouldn't be grimacing like that! I'm sorry! "

" Dumbass! It wasn't your fault so don't excuse yourself! And you can even scream all you want, even if it turns me deaf! I would deserve it! " she exclaimed, frowning and putting the ointment again.

" I'll be upstairs. " Riku said, figuring it wasn't the right time for questions. After a while, his friend joined him and explained what happened. Although the brunette told him that it was nothing to worry about again, Riku knew from what he heard from other people that cracked ribs hurt. But his friend told him to not think about it, so he would hide the fact that he was constantly worrying. The next days, Trish insisted to be the one helping Sora to treat his wound. And, truthfully, he was glad she didn't let Sephiroth do it. He was really nice, but the teen was afraid to end up with broken ribs if the other touched him. He had a lot of strengh.

------

The drive to the port took more time than expected, but Sora and Riku finally got there. Trish had come with her husband and helped the two to take their luggage out of the car's boot. Well, Riku's father did almost everything. They waited for the three remaining guests to come. Riku already knew who were the two other people coming, and he had an idea about the last one. About fifteen minutes passed until Roxas and his red-haired lover arrived. Everyone quickly greeted everyone and chatted while waiting for the last person.

" So, who did you ask to come? " Roxas asked his cousin a little while later.

" Well, he or she'd better get here fast or we'll have to leave them here. " Axel added.

" Don't worry. " Sora assured. " Look, he's coming! " They all turned back to see Allan coming towards them.

" Hey, guys! Sorry, I made you wait! " he cheerfully said.

" Figures. " Riku said when the last guest joined them. Allan frowned at him. " It's nice to see you! " he added, grinning at the other. The three other boy's eyes widened.

" Er…thanks. Same goes here. " the long haired brunette said, smiling timidly.

" Well, now that everyone's here, you should board before the boat leaves. " Sephiroth said. The teens nodded and headed towards the cruise named Crusader of the seas.

" Woaaaaa! " they all said, their mouth wide open.

" This thing looks about… three hundread foot high! " Axel exclaimed.

" Stupid, it's sure high, but not that much. " Roxas calmly said. The small group walked towards a man waiting next to the landing stage. He was wearing a white and navy blue uniform.

" Good morning, kids. May I help you in any way? " he asked, a bright smile on his lips.

" Good morning, sir. " Sora replied, others simply nodding once. " Well, we are boarding this cruise. "

" May I ask what your name is? " the man politely asked, looking at his clipboard and taking a pen.

" I'm Sora Haruno, sir. " The sailor looked through what was probably a list of the passengers' names.

" Alright, Haruno Sora! Winner of the famous annual contest held by Pete's newspaper. Congrats, boy! "

" T-thank you. " the brunette timidly replied.

" The winner's pretty young this year! You must be what people call a genius. " the man said. He looked to the right, then to the left and took a neatly folded sheet of paper out of his uniform's pocket. He handed it to Sora. " Could you sign it too, please? It's like a tradition here. I've been working on this boat for almost ten years and I asked every winner of the contest to give me an autograph. " He smiled when he saw Sora's eyes widen. " As you can see, most of your predecessors are now famous writers. " the man stopped talking as the cruise's captain walked towards them. " We'll continue this talk later – if you don't mind, that is. Are the four boys behind you the other guests? "

" Yes, sir. " the brunette answered.

" Welcome on board, then! " the man beamed as the teen gave the paper back after signing it. Riku and he waved at the silver-haired boy's parents and went in. The entrance was gorgeous! The room was circular with stairs on the right and on the left in front of the boys. A luxurious ceiling light was hanging in the middle of the room. A cute maid entered the room from a small door hidden behind the stairs and greeted them.

" Welcome on the Crusader of the seas. You may leave your luggage here, our employees will take them to your room. Would you like a tour of our cruise? "

" Yeah, sure. " they all replied at the same time, earning a cute laugh from the woman. One hour later, approximatively, the tour ended, leaving them stunned. This boat was like a floating city! Really! It had everything, from the small café to the sport fields!

" I'll show you to your room. If you would follow me, please. " the maid asked them, making them snap out of their little shock.

" Say, miss. How can you walk in here and stay so composed? This cruise is just amazing! " Axel cheerfully exclaimed.

" Well, I've been working here for five years, sir. So, I'm used to it. " she politely answered.

" I see. I'd love to work here! "

" It's not as nice as you think it is, sir. " she answered, sighing. " The customers aren't always nice to us. " the maid admitted, making sure no one could hear her, except for the boys. " Rich people treat us like mere slaves. They don't know how to respect a person's dignity. I wonder if they even respect one another… " she trailed off. " Please, don't repeat what I told you. "

" We won't, don't worry. " Sora quickly said, smiling. The maid blushed and simply nodded at him.

" I heard Yuki talking with you before you boarded. So, you're Pete's winner? You're so young! " she said, excited. They entered a huge room, which number was 005.

" He also told me that. " the brunette answered, as he looked around. It didn't look cheap at all!

" Of course! Usually, the winners are in their late twenties, sometimes they're even in their thirties. So, it's a real surprise to see that a kid won the contest. I bet you're really talented! I can't wait to read the story you wrote! They said the book would be released during August, so I won't have to wait too long! " she said, beaming.

" A book? " Riku asked. " I never saw one edited by them. "

" Well, duh! This one's the only one they release, and it's sold with a special edition of the newspaper, which includes the jury's comments about the five best stories they choosed, including the winner's. " the maid proudly said.

" I bought all of them, they're really good. " Sora said. " At least, the last ten ones. I can't find the older issues unfortunately. "

" Why didn't you enter earlier? " the maid curiously asked.

" I really wanted to, but I didn't feel ready for it. I guess I am now. " the brunette answered, crossing his arms behind his head.

" I see. Well, I should go now. Before I leave, do you need a tour of the room? "

" We'll be okay. Thanks for showing us around. " Roxas said, grinning.

" You're very welcome! " the maid exclaimed. " Feel free to call someone if you need something. There's a phone in each room. Just push the green button and you'll be connected to the employees' room. I hope you will have a good time. " she said, then left.

" Okay, now let's check it out! " Axel exclaimed, rubbing his hands. There were two bedrooms – one with two beds, and another one with three beds – , a huge bathroom, a living room with a big TV that probably had lots of channels on it. Many portholes let light enter the rooms and one could also take a look outside and see the deep blue sea.

" Let's go on the bridge! " Sora proposed.

" I wanted to go take a look arount the casino. " Axel said.

" So did I. " Roxas added. " We could meet at the restaurant at twelve. "

" Sounds good to me. " Riku and Allan said.

" Alright. " Sora said, nodding. " I'll see you later then! " he exclaimed, then ran outside. He took the stairs and went to the third floor. Once outside, he took a look around him. There weren't that many people there. He walked towards the guarddrail and leant against it to look at the sea.

" Hey, Sora! " a man called. The brunette turned his head and saw the sailor from earlier running in his direction – Yuki, was it?

" Hi, sir. " the teen replied. " _I hope he won't be running after me during the whole trip._ " he thought at the same time. The man seemed nice but too much talkative.

" I just wanted to wish you good luck. I hope you'll become famous too! " Yuki said, giving the teen the thumb up. " Oh, and thanks for the autograph! Ren will be glad! "

" Ren? Isn't she working here too? As a maid? "

" Yes, she is. You met her? "

" I'm not sure, but I think it was her. " Sora replied.

" Okay, that's nice. " Yuki said, smiling. He left a while later and the brunette was alone again, looking at the sea. That was something he could do all day long. It was relaxing. Hours passed without him noticing it, until he felt a hand on his arm, which startled him.

" Geez, Sora! What are you doing?! We've been waiting for you for almost an hour! " Allan said, frowning. The other teen looked at his watch, and it read twelve thirty.

" It's this late already?! " he exclaimed as his boyfriend pulled him towards the stairs. The older boy made sure they were alone, then he planted a kiss on the other's lips, surprising Sora.

" You made me worry, you know. " Allan said.

" I'm sorry, I didn't mean to. "

" I should punish you so that you won't do it again! " the long-haired boy smugly declared.

" Really? And may I know what you're going to do? " Sora asked, grinning.

" That! " the other answered, locking his lips on the smaller teen's again. The spiky haired boy thought it would just be a peck on the lips but he quickly realised he was completely mistaken. He automatically opened his mouth when he felt a tongue rubbing against his lips, begging for entrance. Allan then began to kiss Sora roughly and pinned him against the nearest wall, making him gasp – not from pleasure but from pain.

" I-I'm sorry. Did I hurt you anywhere? " the brown-eyed boy asked, breaking the kiss to look at his lover's face.

" You didn't, don't worry. " the brunette lied. It had almost been a week since he got knocked over by a car but his ribs were still hurting. " We should go, I bet they're waiting for us. " And they were. Roxas scolded his cousin a little but his anger cooled once he began to eat the delicious meal he ordered. The food was really great. They ate in silence until the waiter brought liquor to their table once they were finished eating. At first, the teen looked at one another, blinking. Okay, most of them were old enough to drink alcohol but Sora and Roxas still weren't. It wasn't that much of a big deal during a party between friends, but that was another story on a cruise with many adults around. Didn't the crew care at all? The brunette tried to explain it to the waiter, who was still standing next to their table. But he just told them that it was the 'house's tradition.' So, not wanting to anger him, they all drank the bitter liquid, most of them unvoluntarily grimacing as they put their glasses down. Looking at his watch, Sora got up and asked Riku to follow him. The older teen blinked in confusion and glanced at the others. Roxas and Axel shrugged, while Allan was expressionless. If he was jealous, he was hiding it well. The silver-haired teen saw his friend exiting the restaurant quickly and he ran after him to catch up with the small brunette.

" My bandage is loosening. Could you tighten it, please? " Sora asked once they were in the wide corridor that led to the passengers' rooms. Riku glanced nervously at the other.

" Why didn't you ask Roxas to do it? " He corrected himself quickly when he saw Sora glaring at him. " I mean, wouldn't you feel more comfortable if he was the one helping you? "

" Stupid. " the brunette angrily replied. The older boy was getting more and more nervous. Why would he be angry at him now? He didn't say anything wrong! Wait a minute… Riku stopped walking, Sora not noticing he wasn't following anymore. The brunette was slightly wobbling. One could notice it if they payed close attention. Now, that explained the sudden mood swings. It was cute how hard the younger teen was trying to hide the fact that the liquor had more effect on him than he actually showed to others. Riku followed the boy in the room, closing the door behind him. While Sora was taking his T-shirt off, Riku went in the bathroom where they put their luggage until they decided to unpack their stuff. He vaguely heard Sora telling him from the other room to look into his bag's front pocket, which Riku did and found bandages and the ointment. He went back in the living room to see the brunette sitted on the floor, waiting.

" Don't sit there, you won't feel comfortable. " the green-eyed teen said, gently pulling the other to help him arise to his feet and he lead him towards the bedroom. The smaller one blinked a few times when he entered, glanced at the three beds and then, he decided the one in the middle was his favourite. He sat on it, Riku following suit, sitting in front of his friend.

" Uh uh. " Sora said in a playful tone. " Sit behind me. It will be easier for you. "

" It won't make any difference, you now. "

" It will. This way, I won't see your perverted expression while you'll touch my sexy body. " the brunette said, grinning. Was he serious?! Well, he was drunk so he probably wasn't thinking a single word he said, though he **did** look sexy in his own way. Seeing Riku wouldn't move, the brunette turned back so that his back was facing Riku. The green-eyed boy rolled his eyes and decided it would be better not to argue right now. He removed the loose bandages, put them aside and took the ointment tube. On his side, Sora was carefully listening to the noises his friend was making. He slightly bit his lip when Riku's hand brushed against his skin, and a few seconds later, he blushed as he heard wet noises as the other's hands were full of the cold liquid. "S_ince when do I think of such… weird things?!_ " the brunette thought, mentally panicking. He relaxed though when he heard nothing anymore, only to tense up again when his friend's hand began to massage his hurt ribs. He winced at first, trying to hold back from gasping because of the pain, but he soon calmed down and leant against the firm chest behind him. He was drifting off when the feeling of fabric woke him up softly. He looked down at himself and noticed that the other was bandaging his chest. It was almost as if Riku was hugging him and the thought felt nice.

" Isn't it too tight? " the silver-haired boy asked the other as he finished wrapping his friend's tiny chest.

" Excuse me? " Sora asked, still feeling sleepy. He turned his head to look at the taller boy behind him and froze when he felt the tip of his nose brushing against the other's. They kept staring at each other for what seemed like eternity, Riku gulping nervously. What to do now? When Riku thought that it was ridiculous to feel so embarrassed about this and decided to get up and leave the room, he noticed Sora's strange expression. He was looking intently at Riku, his lips lightly parted as he turned his whole body to face the other. Aquamarine eyes widened as they witnessed skinny arms wrapping around Riku's neck, and Sora's face coming closer, closer. And before the older teen could say a single word, lips were locked on his. Panick grew within him as he felt himself being pushed down on the bed. And then, nothing happened. The sound of Sora's steady breath made Riku realize the other feel asleep. Sighing – wether it was from relief or from disappointment, he didn't know – , he moved the unconscious brunette so that he could get up, making sure to leave a small kiss on his friend's forehead before he did. He couldn't help but smile while looking at the asleep teen.

" I wonder when I'll be able to wake up next to you again… " Riku wondered as he moved brown locks of hair from his friend's face.

" 'Again' ? " Riku quickly turned towards the doorframe and saw Allan standing there, his arms crossed. Boy, did he look pissed! Well, he could be.

" Sorry. " the silver-haired teen whispered as he passed the other. He stopped, Allan catching his wrist.

" I think we need to talk. " Brown eyes narrowed as they glared at green ones. Allan shut the door and pulled Riku in the living room. " So? "

" So what? " the other teen answered.

" Riku, I heard what you said. What's this about waking up with Sora? It seems like you're hiding something, aren't you? "

" No. " the other lied. Allan frowned more.

" Well, maybe you can fool him, but it won't work so easily with me. So, spill it. Now. " he commanded. Riku glared at him for a moment, but his look softened after a while. " Did Sora tell you he suffered from amnesia a while ago? "

" Not at all. When did that happen? " the brunette answered, stunned.

" A few weeks before Smith attacked him. I suppose you knew, from what Sora told us. "

" I knew about his teacher, indeed. "

" He fought with boys and got bad injuries: one on his forehead, and the other was amnesia. It lasted for about two weeks. He remembered everything when **it** happened. But he forgot everything that occured during those weeks. "

" Did he forgot important things? " Allan asked, almost sure about what the other was going to say.

" We were going out. " The brunette's mouth opened then shut as he thought about what he should say.

" Why didn't you tell him? " he eventually asked.

" I couldn't. "

" But why? "

" Because he only sees me as a friend. "

" Somehow, I don't think you'll let him keep seeing you as a mere friend. " Allan replied, folding his arms to his chest.

" Now, you can be smart. " Riku said, grinning.

" Hey, thanks. " the other also grinned as he talked. " So, it makes us rivals. " He held his hand out to Riku. " Good luck! " The silver-haired boy eyed the hand the other was holding out, then he shook it.

" Same goes for you. "

" I won't excuse myself, though. " Allan said, serious.

" That's good. I don't need your pity. " And with that being said, they parted.

------

Eyes opening slowly, Sora woke up in a dark room he couldn't claim as his. Panicking for a few seconds, he remembered he was actually on a cruise with his friends. But he didn't clearly remember how he ended up in the bedroom. Maybe he fell asleep in the restaurant and someone brought him here. He sat up, looking at his sides to see an empty bed on his left, and Allan sleeping on his right. The clock read midnight past four. He streched his arms and yawned before getting up. He left the room and decided to take a look at the different places that were on the boat. A small café was open but only grown-ups where in it. Continuing, he saw a club and peeked inside. Grown-ups again. Were there only adults? Sighing, the brunette decided to go on the bridge again. A cold breeze blew on his face and his bare limbs when he opened the door that led outside, and he was surprised to notice he was almost cold. But that wasn't going to stop him. He sat on one of the deckchairs that were surrounding the giant swimming pool and looked up at the sky. There were no clouds at all and he could see the stars with much ease. He shifted in his seat to make himself comfortable and he decided he'd stay there for a while. A while that became hours. Sora noticed the sun was rising when he began to see the stars less well. He got up and watched the beautiful scenery in front of him. He always thought that sunrises were marvellous and it was the first time he saw one above the sea. That was totally different from the ones he used to watch in his garden. This time, he could see it perfectly. He leant on the guarddrail and, many hours later, he went to the restaurant to eat breakfast. Once again, he was surrounded by adults. He noticed some of them glancing at him, then whispering with their friends. " _How rude._ " he thought, ignoring them. He finished eating his meal and left. He bumped into someone when he got out of the room and quickly excused himself. He turned his head to look at the person and his eyes widened. A young girl! And she was about his age! How lucky!

" Are you alright? " he asked, noticing the frown on the girl's face.

" My, you're not one of those old men! " she exclaimed, clapping her hands in front of her once and beaming. Sora laughed nervously. What if one of those ' old men ' heard her? He'd be pretty angry. " I'm relieved to see other people of my age! What's your name? I'm Lizzie! " she cheerfully said.

" It's nice to meet you. My name's Sora. " he replied, holding a hand out, but he froze when the girl kissed him on the cheek. And then, he blushed, hoping no one saw them.

" Say, Sora, are you the only teenager on this stupid cruise? "

" No, I came with my friends. "

" Your friends? Woa! The kids usually come with their parents on such expensive cruises! You must be really rich! " the girl said, her eyes wide.

" Actually, I won a contest, which is why I could board on such a luxuous boat. "

" Oh, I see! " Lizzie replied, beaming.

" Could it be you're flirting? " Axel said. He was coming in the brunette's direction, Roxas walking beside him. The girl, who had her back turned towards them, turned around to see them.

" Since when do you know how to flirt? And with girls at that. " Roxas teased.

" Geez, you're mean! I wasn't flirting! I just can't do that! " Sora exclaimed, his cheeks still red.

" Heh, right. Allan wouldn't be happy if you did. " the red head replied. Lizzie blinked a few times.

" Allan? Who is that? Is he your friend? " she asked.

" Well… yeah. " the brown-haired teen said. She seemed to be the kind of girl who'd gossip, so he thought he should be careful about what to say when around her. She caught him by the wrist and pulled him towards the bedrooms.

" Sora, I'd love to see your room! " she simply chirped.

" What? Aren't they all the same? " he asked as they walked away from his friends. They walked in silence and Lizzie only talked once they were in Sora's room.

" What's the tall guy's name? " she asked.

" Axel…" Sora said, arching an eyebrow. What was she thinking? She seemed more and more suspiscious.

" Do you think I have a chance with him? He's totally my type! " she cheerfully said, beaming.

" No. " the brunette bluntly answered.

" Eh?! Why? " she cried, making the other frown.

" Now, what's that noise?! I'm trying to sleep, you idiots! " Riku exclaimed, coming out of the bedroom.

" Riku you were here? But I didn't see you when I went out! " Sora said, surprised.

" It doesn't mean I couldn't – " the silver-haired boy said, not able to speak anymore as his eyes met Lizzie's. The blue eyed boy looked at both of them, wondering what was going on.

"_ Why don't they talk anymore? And those looks… Wait, is that what they call 'love at first sight'? So, Lizzie is the kind of girl Riku likes? Okay, I should keep that in mind, in case – _" Sora thought, but his trail of thoughts was interrupted by the girl's voice.

" Ri…Riku? Is that really you?! "


	18. Chapter 18

Kairi: How come we don't hear of me anymore?

Becca: No need to. I don't think I'll write about you again.

Kairi: What?! How could you do that to me! cries

Becca: sighing There, there. gives her a candy.

Sora: Hey, I want one too!

Becca: Okay, all you have to do is sign this little piece of paper that says you're mine!

Sora: ….. No way. You'd get in trouble if I did that anyway.

Becca:…. Touché.

------

" Ri… Riku? Is that really you?! " Lizzie exclaimed, her eyes wide.

" Oh god… " Riku muttered.

" Eh? You know each other? " Sora asked, stunned.

" No. " the other boy replied.

" How can you say that?! You're mean! " the girl shrieked, making the boys wince. " We were going out together for almost a whole year! " she exclaimed, her eyes teary.

" You're Riku's girlfriend? No wonder he wouldn't look at other girls. " the brunette teased.

" **Ex**-girlfriend. " Riku corrected. Lizzie frowned slightly.

" Ri-Riku, I'm so glad to see you again. " she said, smiling. " All this time, I hoped I could meet you once more, and today my wish is granted. You know, I miss the time when we were a couple… " She blushed but never stopped looking straight at Riku as she spoke. The older teen opened his mouth to speak but he was surprised when it was Sora who spoke instead.

" No way. " the blue-eyed teen said. Lizzie turned her head to face him and glared. He did the same. " Do you really think I'll let you have your ways with him after what you told me? If so, you're greatly mistaken. " he added.

" What did she tell you? " Riku asked, arching an eyebrow.

" It's nothing, really! " she quickly said, but the green-eyed boy ignored her.

" She was wondering if Axel could be interested in her. "

" You must be kidding! " Riku exclaimed then burst out laughing.

" The sad thing is it's the truth. " Sora replied, sighing.

" You guys are heartless! You make fun of a girl's pure feelings! " she exclaimed, almost crying now.

" Says the girl who was hitting on another boy a few minutes ago. " Sora commented.

" And just to let you know, you're not flat-chested enough to interest Axel – if you see what I mean. " Riku added. And that finished her. She flew out of the room, cursing under her breath and slamming the door as she left.

" Did something similar happen when you guys were an item? " the brunette asked.

" Kinda. " the other simply replied, shrugging.

" Then, I'm glad I told her to back off. "

" Who are you? My boyfriend? " Riku asked, smirking.

" Nah, just the best friend you'll ever have! "

Riku's smile faded for a brief second but it soon came back.

" Thanks for that. " he said. And he meant it.

------

The two decided to spend the day together. One thing Riku liked about Sora was the fact that he wasn't stopping to see him just because he was going out with someone. Would things be different if Sora knew about his friend's feelings? Would he distance himself or just pretend Riku never told him? The older teen didn't want to loose his spiky-haired friend, so he decided to keep everything to himself. Maybe time would make him see the other as a friend. Then, he'd find another love interest. 'Love' ? Now, that was worse than he thought. Anyway, wherever the two went, people would bug Sora about how young he was for winning Pete's contest. Some even told him it was a shame and that the jury only pitied him – probably other competitors. The boys went to the swimming-pool and they were glad no one was there. Deciding it would be a shame to just look at it, Riku went in the water.

" Hey, are you coming? " the silver-haired teen asked his friend.

" I can't, Riku. You should know that. " the brunette said, a cute pout making its appearance. He really wanted to join him.

" But it's no fun by myself… " the other replied, returning the pout. Now, he looked so…

" Stop that! " Sora exclaimed, laughing like mad. " Your face looks so weird! "

" Oh, so it does? " Green eyes sparkled with malice as Riku swam slowly in the brunette's direction. Once he was close enough, Riku grabbed his friend's leg and made him fall in the swimming pool. The poor teen didn't see that one coming.

" R-R-Ri-R-Riku, you d-dumbass! " Sora stuttered. " It's c-cold! "

" You'll get used to it quickly. Now, you should take your clothes off, it'll be easier to swim. "

" B-but I have no bathsuit! " the brunette replied.

" Then just keep your shorts. " Riku answered, shrugging. The blue-eyed boy thought about it for a minute, then he took his shirt, bandages and shoes off. Hours later, they went back in their room to change and grab something to eat. They took sandwiches and wandered around the boat's fake city. They quickly visited the casino – that was filled with old men – and wondered what Axel found interesting about it. The clothes stores were nice but didn't sell pieces of clothing they liked. In the end, they ended up going to the club around eight. Soon, the three other boys joined them.

" I want to dance! Who's coming? " Sora cheerfully asked as he arose to his feet, looking at his friends sitting at a small table.

" We're coming! " Axel replied.

" 'We'? " Roxas asked and found himself being dragged towards the dance floor. Only Riku and Allan were left. They kept looking at the brunette while he danced to the beat.

" Looks like he's having fun. " Allan said, smirking.

" Yeah. " Riku answered. After a while, he added " Can I ask you something? "

" It depends on the question. Well, go ahead. " the brunette replied.

" What made you like Sora? " The brown-eyed boy looked a bit taken aback by the blunt question.

" Well… " he replied, thinking. " At first, I didn't like him that way. He was really outgoing and nice, just like Laexus told me. But I soon understood that friendship wasn't what I was seeking. It might look ridiculous to like someone I knew for a few days only, but I just couldn't help it. His strengh is what I like the most about him. Strangely, that's also what makes me feel jealous. I wish I was that strong too…" Allan trailed off, then heaved a sigh. He looked straight at Riku. " What about you? " The silver-haired boy knew he would be asked that, so he didn't loose his composure.

" He's different from others. "

" Well, we're **all** different from others…" Allan replied, arching his eyebrows.

" Yeah, but he's not like them at all. " the aquamarine-eyed teen replied, smiling as he looked at Sora. Now, there was a geezer who was too close to the brunette! " People usually tell me I'm attractive the first time they see me. " Ah, the small brunette just stomped on the man's foot. He even went away. Riku was so busy keeping an eye on the younger teen that he didn't see Allan rolling his eyes because of what he just said. " But Sora didn't tell me that. He told me I looked angry. " Then, Riku laughed.

" It's not a compliment, you know. I wouldn't be happy if someone told me that. " the brown-haired boy said.

" You're right. But he didn't care about my looks and I was really thankful to have a real friend who wanted to **know **me. "

" I see. " Allan replied. Sora ran towards them and pulled his lover behind him. Riku watched them walking away and got up to return to his room. He took a few steps when he felt somebody grabbing him by the arm. He turned back.

" Where are you going? Aren't you coming? " Sora asked, a worried expression on his face. The older teen was stunned and also happy that the brunette came back for him.

" Only if you dance with me. " he eventually replied, grinning.

" Hmm, Allan won't like that…" Sora thought aloud. " Oh well, I do what I want! " he cheerfully added, taking Riku's hand in his and running towards the dance floor. And, indeed, Allan didn't like that. He didn't care about his lover dancing with his rival at all. What made him angry was the fact that the blue-eyed boy didn't dance with him **first**. But the quarrel didn't last and they soon forgot about it. They laughed a lot when Lizzie – who probably followed them – tried to seduce Axel but only got completely ignored. Sora felt a little sorry for her though.

------

The rest of the trip went by fast and the last day came quickly. They were all kind of sad when they had to leave but they also were glad to go back home. The cousins were left alone during the remaining weeks of the summer break, thus they spent them together.

" When are you going to finish reading that book? " Misaki asked her son. Both were outside. Sora was reading Pete's book that contained the best stories sent for the contest. He had to admit the other competitors' stories were absolutely awesome, and he didn't understand why his was chosen.

" Since when do you read Pete's books? " the brunette asked, looking at his mother and cocking his head to the side.

" Since my son's story got published in them. " she proudly answered. " I'd like to read it, so does your father. So, hurry up! "

" The book's not going to disappear after a while, you know. You'll have plenty time to read it later. " he casually retorted. She huffed something and went back in the house, which made the teen laugh a bit. She could be so childish sometimes. " Okay, okay, I'll hurry. I'm almost done anyway. " he added. And how surprised were Misaki and Hiro when they discovered their son's story. It was pretty good, of course, but what stunned them the most was its subject. Seeing Sora was cheerful most of the time, they expected him to write something cute and happy, which was the total opposite of what they read. It dealt with a young man finding out that the man he ran away from came back and that he had to run away once again. But the young man understood that running wasn't the solution and that he had to face the other and make everything come to an end. The protagonist's feelings were so well described that one could feel the pressure he was under. Everyone probably thought Sora was a great writer who could understand and describe feelings well, but his parents knew it was mostly because the same thing happened to their son. They were glad Cloud could help him at that time – which was why they asked him to take Sora to their house to celebrate both Smith's detention and to thank the blonde man properly. Speaking of Cloud, they heard he went on vacation with a girl. Roxas told them her name was Aerith and that it had been almost three months since they started to date, to everyone's surprise. Well, Cloud wans't the type to talk about private matters after all. Sora and his parents hoped they could meet her one day. Weeks passed by fast and soon, it was time to go back to school again. This time, it was Zexion who drove the boys to the dormitory – he also had to go there anyway.

" Hey, look who's there! " Marluxia exclaimed as the four boys took their luggage out of the boot. " Need some help? " he offered, his little gang nodding in agreement. Thanks to them, everything was brought in the rooms in no time.

" Huh? Riku's living with Sora now? Since when? " Xigbar asked, blinking in surprise.

" Since the horny thing called 'Axel' couldn't keep his hands to himself when Roxas came to sleep over, which goes back to several months now. " Riku replied, making Sora laugh.

" Oh ho! I didn't know they were this intimate already! " Larxene cheerfully exclaimed.

" Actually, they didn't get any chance to be intimate for the moment. " Sora replied.

" But you saw them – " the silver-haired teen began but was interrupted as Sora quickly covered his mouth with his hand, making a loud 'slap' noise as he did such. The other winced a little.

" They were doing **nothing** at that time! Roxas told me we interrupted them before Axel could put – " This time, Zexion's hand covered the brunette's mouth, which made the teen jump.

" We get it, so stop now. Your cousin is getting really embarrassed. " the young man said. Sora turned his head to look at Roxas, whose face was red.

" So-sorry, I didn't mean to – " the brunette stuttered.

" It's okay. Your turn will come when you do it with Allan. I won't miss the chance. " the blonde replied, frowning. Sora's eyes widened.

" Allan? You have a boyfriend too, Sora? You never told us. " the girl said, frowning and folding her arms to her chest.

" I'd have asked you out if I knew you liked men. " Xaldin said. Everyone looked at him. " Just joking. " he added.

" I think we should leave. It's getting late and I think they want to unpack their things and all. " Zexion told his colleagues and Roxas, pushing them towards the door. A few minutes later, after everyone left, Riku noticed Sora barely moved and that the brunette still had that stunned look on his face.

" What's wrong, Sora? " he asked, worried. Blue eyes blinked a few times before they landed on Riku.

" It's nothing. " he eventually answered.

" Lying again. " the silver-haired teen muttered and, as he expected, the other heard him.

" I can't talk about it with you, you wouldn't understand. " Sora replied, frowning. His friend sat on his bed and patted it next to him, as a sign for the other to sit down there.

" I'll try my best to understand. If I can't help you, I'll tell you right away and I won't annoy you anymore. " Riku promised, smiling at the brunette who also sat down on the bed, as he was told.

" It won't hurt to try. " Sora said, shrugging. " Actually, I was thinking about what Roxas told me. " he admitted, a blush creeping on his cheeks.

" Don't worry, he was just joking. Roxas wouldn't do that… I think. " the aquamarine-eyed boy replied.

" Not that. " the brunette corrected, his face turning a deeper shade of red. " I was thinking about… well, intimate matters. " Riku stared blankly at him. " Like **really** intimate matters. "

" Oh! " the other exclaimed, realizing what the other was saying, and blushing slightly. " Well, you two are going out after all. This kind of thing is bound to happen someday. "

" I know that. I just didn't think about it until now. "

" If you knew, why are you so shocked, then? " Riku asked, arching an eyebrow.

" I… " the younger boy began, his voice quivering a little. " I don't know if I can do this. "

" Maybe you're not ready yet? " The taller boy looked at his friend. Sora was looking at his hands that rested on his lap, as he bit his bottom lip nervously. " Sora, you shouldn't worry about it like that. It'll come someday and, when the time comes, everything will go just fine. You'll see. "

" What if he doesn't wait until that day? What if he leaves me because I didn't want to sleep with him? " the brunette asked. His blue eyes were teary and, for some reason, it made the other boy pretty angry. Not at him, of course, but at Allan.

" Then your relationship was worthless. " he said, making the other jump slightly at the blunt statement. " And I'll add that he wouldn't know what he would be missing. " Riku got up, stretched his arms above his head and continued sorting his stuff.

" Riku? "

" Hm? "

" Can I… " Sora trailed off. The question he was about to ask made him feel funny. It seemed like he already told that to Riku before. He really hated it when he had strange feelings of déjà vu. " Can I sleep beside you? Just tonight, I won't annoy you anymore! " he said, as his cheeks became rosy.

" Sure. " Riku replied, grinning and kept taking his belongings out of his bag, as he remembered thet last time the brunette asked him the same question, months before.

" Riku? " Sora asked again.

" Yeah? " the other questionned, laughing softly.

" Thanks. "

" No problem. "

Once they were finished sorting their stuff out, they got changed and went to bed.

" It makes me feel so nostalgic! " the brunette cheerfully said. " It's just like the time when we shared my bed on New Year's Eve! Maybe you don't remember though, since you were drunk. "

" Thanks for the reminder. " the older boy said, pinching the other's arm. " _I remember much more things than you do though. It's a shame I'm the only one recalling all those moments. _" he thought as he watched the other laugh. "_Maybe being here with you wouldn't make me feel so guilty if you knew everything. Again, you just see me as a friend anyway, so it's no use thinking about that._ " Riku was about to move closer to the brunette to kiss his forehead but he changed his mind and simply closed his eyes. " Good night. " he whispered, already falling asleep.

" Good night. " the brunette said, looking at his friend's face. Lying there with Riku made him feel secure and soon, his worries faded away and he also fell asleep.

------

When he woke up in the morning, Sora was surprised to find himself unable to move. He slowly opened his eyes, the room's dim light filtering through the curtains, and he noticed the other's face being dangerously close to his. He blushed a little and tried to free himself from the firm embrace. Unfortunately, Riku only hugged him tighter.

" Soft… " the older boy muttered in his sleep and nuzzled his face in Sora's hair. A few seconds later, he sneezed.

" Ew! Don't sneeze in my hair like that! " the brunette exclaimed, pushing the other who wouldn't let go. Riku frowned and, finally, woke up.

" 'morning. " he said, smiling softly.

" Yeah, good morning to you too. " the other replied, still trying to free himself. " Would you please… "

" … " Riku looked at Sora's hands on his chest, then he searched for his owns hands he couldn't see because one was hidden under Sora's side, and the other wrapped the smaller body. " Sorry. " he simply said as he let go of his friend. Sora rolled out of bed and stretched as he yawned loudly. So uncute… Both headed for their class later and met Roxas on their way.

" Did you sleep well? " Sora asked his cousin.

" No. I'm not used to sleeping alone anymore. " the blonde replied.

" Alone? Isn't Axel here? " Riku asked, looking confused.

" He said he'd be back tonight. His folks couldn't take him to the dorms yesterday. " They entered the classroom and met their classmates. Most of them were already in their class the year before, and some others repeated their second year. Cloud was the one who greeted them on their first day and he explained what subjects they'd have. Sora was glad and also sad to see that art class would only be followed by students who chose to. He wouldn't see Riku as often as he used to. When the bell rang, the brunette was surprised when he noticed it was lunch time already. He and Riku ate with the blue-eyed boy's cousins and they were soon joined by Allan.

" Hi everyone! It's been a while, Sora! I missed you! " the brown-eyed boy said as he gave his lover a peck on the lips. Cloud's eyes narrowed.

" Who's that? " the man asked, almost glaring at the 'intruder'.

" His name's Allan. He is my boyfriend. " Sora casually replied as said boyfriend took a seat next to him.

" Oh, really? Since when? " Cloud said, his eyes narrowing more.

" Since when are you so interested in Sora's love life? " Roxas asked. His brother dropped the subject and ate silently. Allan eyed him suspiciously but quickly forgot about it. Once he ate his meal, Cloud got up.

" Just to let you know. " the blonde man said, glaring at the long brown-haired boy. " Don't you dare hurting him. Got it? "

" Here he goes with the threats. Again. " Sora whispered, hidding his face in his hands.

" Why would I hurt him? " And, for the first time, the man seemed to be taken aback. Cloud snorted and left. " Who is he? " Allan asked Sora.

" He's my older cousin. " the brunette replied.

" And my bro'. " Roxas added.

" … " The brown-eyed boy's expression didn't change a bit. " _No wonder it kinda reminded me of the first time I met Roxas._ " he thought. He lifted his head up and saw Riku's smiling face as he talked. He turned his head and saw the same expression on Sora's. " You two look awfully close. " he said, interrupting the two's conversation on purpose. " I might get jealous. "

" Would you? " Sora asked, surprised.

" Of course. But I shouldn't worry too much. I'll make you mine for good pretty soon. " Allan said, smirking smugly at his lover. The smaller brunette looked nervous all of a sudden.

" It's not really funny to joke about this kind of things. " Riku commented.

" Come on, did you guys loose your sense of humor? Anyway, I wasn't really joking and I'll show you proof of that not later than right now. " Brown eyes locked onto blue ones. " How about coming to my room one of these days? "

" You could come too. " Sora offered.

" No way, not with Riku there. I have nothing against him, " he quickly added, seeing aquamarine eyes glaring at him " But I'd like to have some privacy. "

" What about your roommate? " the brunette asked, tilting his head to the side.

" I don't have one yet. That's why we should take advantage of this while we can! So, how about it? Would tonight be okay? Or tomorrow maybe? "

" That… " the blue-eyed boy began. "_ That's way too fast!!! We just came back and you're already asking that much! Okay, we've been going out for months but…_ " he thought, panicking. Riku noticed his nervousness and helped him.

" We already made plans. Maybe another time. " the silver-haired teen said.

" He's right. Sorry. " Sora replied, discreetly mouthing his friend "thank you".

" Okay. " Allan replied, obviously disappointed. Seeing the other's expression, Sora's heart sank. But he still wasn't ready for what Allan wanted… The afternoon lessons were pretty boring and every minute seemed like a whole hour. When Riku and Sora got back from school, they went to the park and played with Yuna and the other kids. They played hide and seek until almost eight. Ansem was so taken by his book he didn't realize it was already this late. Before he left, he congratulated Sora about the contest and told him he greatly liked the story he wrote. That made the burnette really happy. Once their conversation ended, the boys decided they'd stay a while longer at the park and they took a stroll. One hour later, they headed back to their dorm.

" What are you doing? " Riku asked the blue-eyed teen. He and Sora met Axel on their way back and followed him in his room. Roxas was there too, watching Sora playing video games.

" It's not big enough. " the brunette told himself. " I can't catch it. "

" Look, there are many cats there! You can probably get them! " the blonde said, pointing to something on the TV screen.

" You're right! " his cousin replied.

" Really, what is that game? It looks stupid and totally useless! What's so fun about a ball catchig everything around itself while rolling? "

" It's called Katamari and it's one of the funniest games! " Axel proudly said. "… And one of the most stupid, I should admit. "

" Ah, the time ran out! The king's angry. " Sora said, laughing.

" Of course he is! Your katamari wasn't big enough. Let me try! " Roxas exclaimed.

" No way. " the red head said, turning the video game console off.

" Heh?! " the two whined. Axel pointed to the clock, which read midnight past a quarter.

" I'm tired and I'd like to sleep, if you don't mind. " he ironically said. Sora nodded and followed Riku outside of the others' room. Roxas put the video game console and its games away and, when he turned back his eyes landed on Axel's bare chest. The blonde boy blushed but he couldn't stop himself from staring.

" See something you like? " the older boy teased. Seeing his lover wasn't replying, he walked towards him and placed a hand on his head, patting it. " Now, don't zone out so suddenly. You scare me. "

" Huh? " Roxas asked, his voice sounding cuter than usual – Axel thought it was. The teen lifted his head up to look into his boyfriend's eyes, his own eyes beeing darker than they usually were. Axel's cheeks turned rosy.

" Don't look at me like that. " the red head said, his back facing Roxas now.

" Why? " the other asked.

" Because… " the older boy trailed off. " … I'm afraid I'd do something we'd both regret if you do. " The blonde blushed. A few seconds later, he took a few steps to come closer to the taller boy and he hugged him from behind.

" I wouldn't regret it at all. " he whispered. " After all, I didn't tell you to stop last time. " In no time, Axel turned back and took the frail boy in his arms, surprising him. He walked towards his bed and made his lover lie on it. He leant forward, his lips brushing against the other's. Roxas wrapped his arms around the other's neck and pulled him closer, eager to deepen the kiss. To Axel's surprise, it was Roxas who took initiatives. The blonde boy's tongue brushed against teasing lips that wouldn't let it enter. So, the blonde bit them gently, then a bit more firmly until they parted, letting him explore the moist cavern. The blue-eyed boy shifted their position, so that he was on top. But telling Axel to let the blonde take the advantage was like asking a fish to get out of water. There was **no way** this could happen! Groaning, the red head shifted their position and the smaller teen was behind him again. He broke the kiss, and after he catched his breath, he pressed his lips against Roxas' neck, making him tremble softly.

" Are you sure you want to go all the way? " the older boy asked, panting a bit. " If not, say it now, before I can't stop myself anymore. " Roxas chuckled.

" You wouldn't stop even if I told you to. It's already too late. " the blonde said, then he gave a quick peck on his lover's lips. " Just be gentle, please. " he whispered, avoiding the other's gaze and blushing.

" Alright. " Axel replied, smiling at him.

------

For some reason that Sora ignored, his cousin's mood was awfully good lately and he was simply jealous.

" I'm usually the cheerful one! " the brunette exclaimed.

" It doesn't mean he has no right to be happy. " Allan replied. They were going to Vexen's office for the last time. Hopefully. " Isn't it heavy? Maybe I should carry it? " he asked, pointing at the bag Sora was carrying. He wanted to give the man's books back.

" It's okay, thanks. "

" You really read all those during summer break? You're fast! "

" Yeah, they were pretty interesting, so I read them fast. I think they'll be of great help. "

" What were they about? " Allan asked, tilting his head to the side.

" Many dealt with people in denial and how to make them accept the truth. Did you know some people even end up suffering from amnesia because of that? That's surprising! "

" Yeah, I know. " the brown-eyed boy replied, knowing his lover actually had that problem before.

" And others dealt with plit personnalities. They were absolutely fascinating! " Sora exclaimed.

" Why does it interest you so much? "

" I'd like to write something about that! You know, like Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde. But I still don't have good ideas… "

" Looks nice. I hope you'll show me. " Allan said, smiling at the younger boy. They entered the now familiar building and were, once again, greeted by Demyx, the strange secretary. The boys sat in the seats in the waiting room. The long-haired teen's attention got caught by his boyfriend's laughter. " What's wrong? " he asked, arching an eyebrow.

" Don't you remember? We were sitting in the same chairs when we first met. " Sora said. So cute! He recalled it!

" Really? " the other asked, smiling as the brunette pouted. He just wanted to act cool. " Just kidding. Of course I didn't forget such a thing. " he added as he got up and walked in Sora's direction. He leant forward to kiss him.

" Sorry to interrupt you but, just to let you know, you can come in. " Vexen declared, stopping his nephew from exchanging saliva with the cute teen.

" Uncle! You ruined the mood! " Allan said, sighing. " Let's go. " he told Sora. They entered the office and sat.

" Here. " the blue-eyed boy said, handing the bag to the dirty blond-haired man. " Thank you very much. "

" You're welcome. I hope it helped. " Vexen replied, taking the bag.

" It did. " Vexen smiled, glad to see Sora's gaze hadn't any fear in it anymore.

" Alright, let us begin. " the man said. " It looks like you took my advice, Sora. I didn't think you'd choose a boy, let alone my own nephew. " The smaller brunette looked at his feet, ashamed. " But it's alright, you know. If you're happy this way, then I won't stop you both. " he added. " How do you feel about it, this time? " Vexen asked Allan.

" Absolutely fine. I **do** feel something for him. " the brown-eyed teen replied.

" This time? " Sora asked, curious as to know what it meant.

" I went out with many people before you a few months ago. But I never really felt anything for them. I guess they weren't the right ones. " Allan said, shrugging.

" Or maybe was it because you were afraid? " Vexen tried and continued, seeing his relative didn't show any sign of protest. " You just wanted to protect yourself after all. You didn't want to suffer like your mother did. She could also move on, and now she smiles again, like she used to. I was really worried to learn you were feeling bad as well. Sometimes, this kind of situation end up badly. Hopefully, you two are strong-willed. "

" Probably. " Allan simply replied, then he looked at Sora. " What happened to us wasn't as bad as what Sora had to endure, though. " The psychologist opened his mouth to talk but he changed his mind when he saw the other teen was about to talk. That could be much more interesting – result-wise, that is.

" Idiot. You can't compare. Bad things affect everyone, even if they're not serious. What truly matters isn't the fact that one experienced something worse than another person. It's the ability to overcome hardships that is important. " Sora said, his face looking serious. He was looking so serious he was almost intimidating.

" I couldn't have said it in a better way. " Vexen said, smiling. Now, he was proud of the younger teen.

" Did you read that in those books? " Allan questionned, eyeing his lover suspiciously.

" Not really. Let's say they helped me realize that. " the brunette answered, smiling.

" Allan, answers can't always be found in books. Sometimes, you have to find them yourself. That's what the brain is made for. " the man teased. His nephew frowned and folded his arms to his chest, muttering a small " 'knew it " under his breath. " How about you, Sora? "

" What about me? " the brunette asked, confused.

" Well, how do you feel? Is there something bothering you? "

" Erm… Yeah? "

" Now, you should know it better than me, so don't ask me if you're alright. " Sora blushed at the blunt statement, but Vexen was right so he couldn't say anything. He cleared his throat before he spoke.

" There **is** something bothering me lately, but Riku's helping me. So, I should be alright. No, I **will** be alright. " the blue-eyed boy replied. Allan glanced at him.

" I see. It seems like I'm useless now. " Vexen said. " That's strange. I should be happy but it makes me feel sad actually. I think I'll miss you. "

" We'll come back, but only to say hello, then! " Sora cheerfully offered.

" I would be glad if you do. " the man answered. About half an hour later, the two were going out of the building. Sora noticed that Allan had an annoyed expression on his face.

" What's bothering you? " he dared.

" Why don't you talk to me? Whenever something's wrong, you go to Riku! " Brown eyes narrowed as the long-haired teen shouted at the other. " AS FAR AS I KNOW, **I** AM YOUR BOYFRIEND!! "

" You don't need to yell at me! " Sora replied, not liking the other's tone when he spoke. " Going out with you doesn't mean I shouldn't talk to my friends anymore! "

" That's not the point here! What I want to make you realize is that you **never** confided in me! Riku's not the only one who can help you! "

" What's wrong with you today, anyway?! Firstly, I **did** confide in you before and it looks like you don't even remember it. Secondly, you never minded me talking to him until now! " Sora's anger was slowly rising. He didn't understand why the other was so mad at him all of a sudden, which truly annoyed him.

" You didn't came to me this time. Why? " Allan asked, grabbing the smaller teen by the shoulders and looking – or most likely glaring – straight into his eyes. The brunette didn't flinch.

" I coudn't talk to you about it, that's all. " he replied, between greeted teeth. He felt the older boy's grip thightening.

" So, that was about me. What did you tell him? " he commanded, his grip not faltering.

" Let go, Allan! It hurts! "

" No. Just reply and I'll stop. " Sora was now getting scared. He didn't like that look in his lover's eyes. There was so much hatred in them. Maybe he already didn't love him anymore now that he knew he couldn't have what he wanted. The younger teen felt tears coming to his eyes as he felt the other's nails digging into his skin. He bit his lip and remained silent. After a while, the brown-eyed boy's gaze softened and he blinked a few times as if he was awakening from some trance. Noticing his hands on his boyfriend's shoulders and his white knuckles, he let go quickly.

" I'm sorry. I shouldn't hav – " Allan began but Sora ran away. Well, he **tried **because the other grabbed him by the wrist. " Wait, I really didn't wa – " This time, he was interrupted by the younger teen's free hand pushing him violently, making him fall on his rear on the sidewalk.

" DON'T YOU TOUCH ME! " the spiky-haired boy yelled, then he ran. And he ran for a while, until his legs couldn't carry him anymore. He fell on the park's grass, his face on the soft ground. He didn't even try to move. He really wanted to cry but he hold the tears back. He was a boy, dammit! Later, the sun was setting and he was still lying there. He heard someone running in his direction and tried to look at the person. " _Two? _ " he thought.

" Sora! " Yuna screamed, kneeling next to him.

" Hi. " the teen said, sitting up. He glanced at her side, where Ansem was also kneeling, his eyes filled with worry.

" Are you alright, kid? You look pale. " he said.

" I'm fine. " Sora answered, trying to get up. And then, he realized he couldn't even stand. Maybe he shouldn't have run so much.

" Yunie, help uncle. Take the bag, please. " the blonde man asked as he handed the light bag to Yuna, who nodded vigorously. He carried Sora on his back to his house. Once they arrived, he made the brunette lie on his comfy sofa. " Can you bring him water? " Ansem asked the little girl. Not bothering to reply, she ran in the kitchen. Her uncle took his phone and dialed a number as he sat on an armchair next to Sora.

" You're not calling a doctor, are you? I'll feel better soon, don't worry. " the brunette said quietly, his throat being sore.

" I'm calling Zexion. He'll come to pick you up. "

" Dont, please! I don't want him to worry! "

" He'll surely ask Riku to come with him. He must be greatly worried right now. It would be better to let them know you're safe. "

" Then, just tell them I'm here. I'll walk back to the dorms once my legs can carry me. "

" How long will it take? " the man asked. Sora blinked a few times.

" I don't know. "

" Which is why I'm asking him to come. " And he had a point. Sora lowered his gaze and sighed. He vaguely heard the man talking on the phone and leaving the room.

" Here you go. " Yuna said as she handed a glass of milk to Sora. " Mommy gives me milk to make me feel better! I'm sure it'll help you. "

" Thanks, Yuna. " he said, and hugged the girl. " I'll be better quickly, thanks to you. " he said, and he whished it was true. He took the glass and drank it slowly. Ansem came back and sat again.

" Zexion will be here shortly. Really, what happened? " the man asked, worried. Figuring replying "nothing" wouldn't work, the brunette told him the truth. So, after a few minutes of heavy silence, he talked.

" I got into a fight with someone. " Well, he didn't have to tell him the details. " I ran away and I fell there and stayed until you found me. "

" I see. How do you feel? "

" Strange, but it'll be over by tomorrow. " They were interrupted by the doorbell. " Already? " Sora asked, stunned.

" Driving from your school to my house takes little time since it's pretty close to here. " Ansem said, as he walked towards his door. Behind it stood a composed Zexion who quickly greeted his uncle. " He's in the living room. " Ansem told him. The young man entered said room and headed for the sofa. He leant forward and carried Sora in his arms, which made the brunette blush like mad.

" I'm sorry, uncle, I can't stay here for too long. I still have work that need to be done. I'll come later. "

" Don't worry about that. Just take good care of him, he's been through a lot today. " The blue-haired boy nodded in agreement and left.

------

Sora fell on the ground when he tried to get out of the car. His legs were still too weak. His action earned him a big scolding. Zexion carried him to his room and he entered without knocking. He couldn't anyway.

" What do you think y – " Riku exclaimed, surprised. His eyes widened as he saw Sora. " Sora? Where have you been? I was worried! " he said as his brother made Sora lie on his bed.

" I'll leave him in your hands. I have to go. " the older man told his little brother. " Sorry. " he said to Sora this time. And he left, leaving the teens alone.

" You look horrible. " Riku said, sitting on his friend's bed, next to him.

" Thanks for the compliment. " Sora muttered.

" What happened to you? " And here came the question the brunette feared. He didn't care when Ansem asked him the same question because he knew that, somehow, he could avoid it, even if only a little. But Riku was another story.

" I had a fight with Allan. " he said, decided he wasn't going to let his friend know why they fought.

" You fought? How come? You were still getting along well a few hours ago. " the silver-haired teen asked. He saw his friend avoiding his gaze. " Are you hiding something from me? " he added. No reply. He sighed. " Okay, if you don't feel like talking about it, it's alright. Just remember you can come to me if you need to. " he said, as kind smile gracing his face. And that was all Sora needed to let all his sadness come out. He lifted an arm and put it over his eyes as he began to cry silently. At first, Riku thought he was tired, so he was about to leave. But then, he saw tears falling on the brunette's pillow.

" Sora… " he quietly said as he moved the younger teen's arm from his face. He made his friend sit up and hugged him tightly. " There, it'll be alright. You're not alone. "

" That's the problem. " the other's muffled voice said. And the realization made him sob harder. " We fought because of you, Riku. " Green eyes widened at the sudden revelation. What did he do wrong? He didn't remember doing anything that could make Allan angry – at least not to the point of fighting with Sora. " He thinks I shouldn't go to you when I need to talk, but I couldn't do that the other day! How can I tell him that I don't want to have sex with him? He'd be angrier than he was today! I don't want that to happen anymore! I shouldn't have agreed to going out with him in the first place! I knew it was a bad idea. " he quickly said between sobs.

" Now, calm down. Maybe he was just in a bad mood. I'm sure he didn't think a single word he said. " Riku broke the hug, putting his hands on Sora's shoulders. The other winced and pulled away. Now, the older boy didn't like that at all. " Do your shoulders hurt? " Seeing the brunette's panicked expression, he had his response. " Let me see. " he said, but Sora didn't let him do what he wanted.

" No, I'm okay. Don't worry! " he said, sobbing harder.

" No, you're not! I barely touched you and you winced like I hit you! " Riku exclaimed. " Listen, I just want to help, and I won't be able to do so if you don't let me. " He carefully grabbed the hem of Sora's shirt and pulled it over the brunette's head. He had marks on his shoulders that looked like fingers'. " Did he do that to you? " the silver-haired boy asked, his eyes narrowing. The brunette nodded.

" Yeah, but – "

" Don't you dare defending him. There's no good reason for someone to do that to you. " He brushed his hand against the reddened skin, which made Sora wince again. " It looks painful. "

" N-not really. But your hands are… " the brunette trailed off. A feeling of déjà vu, again. "… really cold. " He lowered his gaze. " _I've been having strange feelings lately. Why does it look like everything I tell him already happened before? Its – _" His thoughts were interrupted when he noticed that Riku leant forward. He thought the older teen was about to kiss him, which he did but on his shoulder. Sora tensed up but relaxed a few seconds later. He let the other leave soft kisses on his hurt skin and didn't realize he was pressing his body against his friend's all the while. " Does it soothe your shoulders? " Riku softly asked. Sora didn't reply, he just nodded in agreement. The aquamarine boy realized at that moment that the brunette had his arms wrapped around his waist. " You said it was because of me? "

" Y-yeah. Because I'm always talking to you instead of him. " Sora said as he broke the embrace. His tears had stopped and his eyes were red. Even that didn't falter his cuteness.

" I'm sorry. I'll talk to him, so don't worry. " Riku said, thinking it would ease Sora's mind.

" Don't! It'll make things worse! I'll go myself. " the brunette replied, bitting his lip.

" You should rest, you look tired. I'll go get water, in case you'd like to drink some. " the older boy said, kissing the brunette's forehead. He made him lie and left the room. He went to his brother's office quickly to ask him what number was Allan's room. Once he got it, he went on the third floor and knocked on the brown-eyed boy's door. And the other eventually answered.

" Oh, it's you. " he said, sighing. " Listen, I – " Allan began but the silver-haired boy interrupted him.

" I tried my best not to come between you and Sora, but it looks like it wasn't enough. And I can't leave the dorms because he needs me. I would have if you didn't do that to him. " Green eyes narrowed as Riku spoke.

" Why did you come here exactly? " Allan asked, glaring too.

" I won't back off anymore. I'll take every chance I can to take him from you. Mark my words. " Riku seethed. He waited for the other's reply, and figuring he wouldn't get one, he left.

" I really messed up this time…" Allan whispered.

------

Disclaimer: It's sad but Kingdom Hearts' characters aren't mine.

A/U: Just a small warning! There is a high chance that there won't be any update next week. You know, tests and all that stuff eats much more time than necessary. I'll try my best to write something, but don't expect a long chapter then. (if I post one, that is.) I'm sorry for the inconvenience! As an apology, I made this chapter longer than the others! ; See you soon!


	19. Chapter 19

**Disclaimer**: I only own this story and my original characters.

------

Riku went to the cafeteria, – luckily, it was still open – took a jug and filled it with water, thinking about what he just told Allan at the same time. " _I'll take every chance I can to take him from you. _" The scene kept flashing in his mind, making him grow more and more uneasy. " _I said that but do I even stand a chance? _" he thought, staring blankly at the jug as the cool liquid filled it. "_ Sora did seem to like it when I kissed him, even if it wasn't on his lips. He even hugged me. Maybe it's not that hopeless. _" Too lost in his thoughts, he didn't notice water was over-flowing from the small container. " _He **did** like me before, so why wouldn't it happen once gagain? I'll make him break up with that bastard and then, I'll tell him everything when he forgets about Allan. _"

" What do you think you're doing, young man?! " an angry cooker told Riku, stopping the water's flow. " Not paying for it doesn't mean you can waste it! " Riku blinked a few times and finally noticed the mess he just made.

" I'm sorry, I was just thinking. " he apologized.

" Then, you shouldn't think, if you want my opinion. " the man snaped.

" I don't need it. " the teen said, then ran out of the cafeteria when the cooker glared at him. He opened his dorm's door slowly and found Sora asleep in his bed, as he expected. He put the jug down on the bedside table and covered the brunette with his blankets. The silver-haired teen changed into his pajamas, then went in bed too.

------

Sweat was on his forehead and his heart was racing like mad when Sora suddenly woke up. He wipped the single tear that was rolling down his cheek and looked at the clock put on the bedside table.

" _It's still so early._ " he thought, sighing. Riku was sound asleep. The brunette got up and went in the bathroom. He took a quick shower, then decided he'd wander around town until it was time to go to school. He was glad his roommate didn't wake up. He didn't want to answer the questions he'd probably ask him. The fresh air of the night made him feel better in no time. His hands shoved in his pockets, he slowly walked down the peaceful streets, noticing some restaurants and cafés weren't closed yet. His attention got caught by noises coming from a dark alley. He peeked in it and saw two people.

" You should go back home, you drank too much. " a woman quietly said.

" Why don't you come with me? We'll have fun, I promise. " the man replied. Indeed, he seemed really drunk.

" Please, just leave. " the woman said, anxiety filtering through her voice. Sora saw the man grabbing the girl's arm and pullin her behind him. They came in his direction. He moved to the side so that the man wouldn't see him immediately. When he was right next to Sora, the teen made him notice him.

" Now, you shouldn't be annoying women, you know? " he said.

" Wha'd'ya want, kid? " the man grunted, his breath smelling of alcohol. Ugh.

" Just leave her alone, she doesn't want to follow you. " Sora replied, seeing the girl trying to free herself.

" And what are you go- " the drunken guy began. He blinked a few times, then he fell flat on his face. Then he snored loudly.

" Are you okay? " the brunette asked the girl, ignoring the asleep man.

" Oh! " the girl and Sora exclaimed at the same time.

" I know you! " he said as he tried to remember where he saw her.

" You're Cloud's cousin, aren't you? Sora, was it ? "

" Yeah. " he replied, nodding.

" I'm Aerith…. Erm, let's go inside. " she added. That guy was so loud… She entered the café called The Wolf's Lair. He grimaced when he read the name but still entered the place filled with… bikers? The customers stopped talking to look at Sora, who felt uneasy.

" Hey kid, it's not an ice cream shop here. " one called.

" Look at him, he's going to wet his pants! " another teased.

" Figures, with this face of yours. "

" Will you stop annoying him? " Aerith politely asked. They all looked at her. " While you guys were peacefully chatting here, this cute boy helped me getting rid of some drunken jerk. "

" Really? " many men asked at the same time.

" Did I ever lie to you before? " the woman asked and got no reply. She heard the phone ring and quickly excused herself, leaving Sora alone among the men who stared at him.

" Err… It's nice to meet you? " he quietly said, nervously tugging on his tank top's hem. One of the guys got up and walked towards him. He was so tall! Sora lifted his head up and looked at the giant man who was smirking.

" That's not how things work in here. Let us show you how we greet each others! " the man said, putting a hand on the teen's shoulder.

The call was longer than she thought and Aerith came back in the café about fifteen minutes later to be greeted by an unusual sight. The customers were gathered around someone and cheering for him – only guys came here. As she came closer, she recognized the small brunette.

" What do you think you're doing?! " she yelled. The teen was drinking a huge glass of beer and seeing the empty galsses on the table, it wasn't the only one he drank. In front of him, the man who talked to Sora earlier had a stunned expression.

" Look at that, Aerith! The kid's going to beat Cid's record! It's his sixth already! " a biker said.

" You dumbass! He's not old enough to drink alcohol! What do you think you are doing? Are you nuts?! " Aerith angrily exclaimed.

" Come on, just look at him! He's having fun with us. " another one answered. Seeing her glare, they all went back to their seats and Sora looked at them.

" You're already leaving? " the brunette asked, blinking in surprise.

" You really drank that much? " she questionned, glancing at the glasses.

" Well, yes. But it was just because we were competing! I don't usually drink that much, I promise! "

" I wonder what Cloud would think about that... " she trailed off, sighing.

" Oh yeah! Roxas told me you guys were dating! I didn't think Cloud would go out with someone! " the teen said as he sat on one of the bar stools, trying to change the subject. Aerith giggled, then she leant her elbows on the counter and rested her chin in the palms of her hands.

" How come you're up so early in the morning? " she asked. The young boy looked away. " Something's bothering you, I can tell. " she added. " Can I help? "

" Not really. " he replied. " It's all my fault anyway. "

" What did you do? " Aerith asked.

" I kinda let someone else than my – ". He glanced behind him quickly to make sure the other men couldn't hear him. " – boyfriend touch me. " he finished.

" So, what Cloud told me was true. " she said, smiling. " Anyway, what do you mean by 'touch you' ? Did someone grope you? " Now, such a cute girl saying such words was kind of off.

" No. Actually, a friend just hugged me and I said nothing. I'm not sure if it meant something special for him though... " Sora trailed off, looking at the counter.

" Hmm... " the woman hummed. " Maybe you're thinking about it too much. That was probably a friendly gesture, nothing else. Why did he hug you? "

" I had a quarrel with Allan, my boyfriend. " The brunette was amazed at how easily he was telling her everything when he didn't know her that much.

" Yeah. He was definitely trying to comfort you, nothing else. At least, I think. " the woman replied, smiling.

Soon, it was time for Sora to go back. Aerith thanked him again for his help and then he left. He got to school just in time.

" Where have you been? You weren't in the room when I woke up, I was getting really worried! " Riku said, slightly frowning.

" Sorry, I couldn't sleep so I went out. " the brunette replied. The silver-haired teen winced.

" Ugh. Is it me or did you drink beer? " the other asked. Sora blushed.

" Do you have a mint? " the brunette asked. " I'll explain later. " he added, noticing his friend's confused expression. Sora was glad to not see Allan during lunch. That left him alone with Riku, Axel and Roxas. He was eating his dessert as the others talked. Roxas was reading the newspaper and he suddenly cursed.

" What's wrong, Roxie? " the red head asked.

" Sora, look at that. " the blonde said, handing the newspaper to his cousin and pointing at an article. The brunette took it and read. It read Smith was found dead the day before in his cell. The policemen concluded he killed himself after he left a note that read he did it because of his student, whose name wasn't mentionned but Sora knew it was his. He paled and began to cry a few minutes later.

" What? Don't tell me you're feeling sorry for that bastard! " Roxas exclaimed. His cousin shook his head no. " Is it because of the note, then? It wasn't your fault, you shouldn't worry about that. "

" I know that. " the brunette replied between sobs.

" Then, what's wrong? " Axel asked, not understanding his reaction at all.

" Nothing, that's the problem. " Sora said. The three other boys frowned, not getting it at all. " I feel nothing. I'm not sad nor am I happy. I feel nothing at all. " And then, he sobbed harder. People were looking at them.

" What? Do you have a problem? " Axel snaped at them.

" Let's go outside. " Riku offered, pulling Sora behind him. Once in the school yard, they made the brunette sit on a bench and Riku knelt before him. " Sora, it's okay, you know. You shouldn't worry that much. " he tried.

" I should! Even if he did something bad to me, I still knew him and when I learned he was dead, I felt nothing. Maybe I'm becoming a heartless bastard. I don't want that! " the brunette exclaimed.

" Do you really think heartless people would cry because they have no feelings? If you care that much, then you're not like them. " Riku stated. He was relieved when Sora calmed down.

" Really? " the brunette asked in a childish manner, looking at his roommate, then at the other boys who nodded in agreement.

" Sora, you're so shocked you still don't know how to react. Don't think about it too much, okay? " the silver-haired teen said. The brunette nodded.

" I'm sorry. I shouldn't have shown you that article. " the blonde teen said.

------

The rest of the day was pretty calm and Sora quickly forgot about his outbursts. Actually, he was just tired and worried about what happened between him and Allan. He knew he'd have to speak with him. He couldn't avoid him forever anyway. He saw the brown-haired boy on his way back to the dorms. Sora eyed Riku nervously before he told him to not wait for him. He ran in his lover's direction and tapped his shoulder. The other turned back.

" Sora? " he asked, surprised.

" Can we talk? " the brunette said.

" Sure. " They went in the older boy's room, even though Sora still didn't feel quite right about that. But he just shrugged the feeling off. He put his bag on the floor, next to the door so that it wouldn't be in the way, while his boyfriend turned his radio on. Sora sat on the bed, soon followed by Allan. They stayed silent for a moment, until the taller teen decided to talk.

" I'm sorry. "

" What? " Sora asked. He wasn't really paying attention.

" About the other day. I yelled at you and I deeply regret it. I shouldn't have. "

" It's okay. " the small brunette whispered. Allan looked at him.

" You're lucky to have a friend as great as Riku. " The other turned his head to look at him. " He came to scold me yesterday. I deserved it. "

" Yeah, he's really nice." the blue-eyed boy trailed off, a soft smile gracing his cute face. The other boy's gaze darkened because of sadness.

" I wonder if you have that kind of expression when you talk about me. " Allan said, smiling sheepishly. Sora didn't understand and he tilted his head to the side. The other came closer and brushed his lips against the younger's. The spiky-haired boy's hand clutched the sheets but he didn't stop the other. Allan leant backward for a second, then kissed him more passionately this time. Slowly, Sora calmed down and he eventually kissed back as his boyfriend's tongue entered his mouth. To his own surprise, the blue-eyed boy didn't panick at all when the other made him lie on his bed. It just felt right. The younger teen wrapped his arms around the other's neck, pulling him closer.

Meanwhile, Riku was alone in his room. He was walking in circles, nibbling his fingernails nervously. He glanced at the clock. It had been half an hour already and his roommate wasn't back. When someone knocked at the door, he hoped it would be Sora but he quickly put that idea aside. If it was him, he wouldn't knock, unless he wanted to surprise Riku? Anyway, he opened the door. It was Zexion. He immediately noticed his younger brother's anxiousness.

" What's wrong? " he asked.

" It's Sora. " the other replied. Sighing, Zexion sat down on a chair. This was going to take some time. " He's with Allan right now. They've been together in his room for almost an hour. "

" How do you know they're there? " his older brother asked.

" I was them entering the dormitory, and since Sora wasn't coming back, I looked for them and didn't see them anywhere. And I'm sure they're still here. What do I do? " he said, panicking.

" They're probably flirting a little, nothing bad. " Zexion replied.

" I'm sure they're doing more than just flirting. Allan is fed up with innoncent kisses, he told that to Sora. But Sora's not ready yet. I hope he's not forcing anything on him. "

" There are other students in the dorms. If something was wrong, they would have told me. " the blue-haired boy calmly told the other. That didn't help at all.

" Still, I can't let that happen. I'll go up there and pretend I wanted to talk to Sora. " Riku said as he headed towards the door.

" Don't. " his brother told him. He turned back, frowning. " This could make Sora angry at you. If he's okay with it, you shouldn't stop him. He knows what he is doing. " And he had a point.

The music that played seemed distant as Sora's mind was spinning madly. Every touch, every kiss made his body hotter and made breathing harder. The spiky-haired boy moaned as he felt his lover's hands sneaking their way under his tank top and touched his stomach's soft skin.

"_ Oh god, what am I doing?! _" the younger boy thought. His reason was telling him to stop and was asking for more at the same time. Allan broke the heated kiss and took a look at the skinny boy's shoulders. His eyes showed sadness as he whispered " I'm sorry " and kissed the little marks he made the day before. Sora felt a pang of guilt in the pit of his stomach, remembering Riku did that same thing before. He felt more guilty as he realized he was thinking about his silver-haired friend during such an intimate moment. Allan unbuttoned his own shirt, then removed Sora's tank top before he roughly kissed him, moans coming out of his throat. He moaned loudly when the brunette arched his back, making their hips accidentaly brush against each other. He pulled away, both needing to breathe, then attacked the blue-eyed boy's neck as one of his hands unbuttoned the smaller boy's trousers. Squeezing his eyes shut, Sora's fingers tangled in his boyfriend's hair as he whispered the other's name softly. Taking this as a sign to go further, Allan trailed butterfly kisses down to the smaller teen's stomach. Sora's eyes shot open.

" _One of those déjà vu again?!_ " he thought, panicking. " _How can this be? I never did something like that before! Okay, calm down, it's nothing. Just relax._ " he thought, closing his eyes again as the other kept kissing him. He quickly regretted it though. His head was beginning to hurt and a little voice in the back of his mind was telling him to stop and to remember what he forgot. " _What did I forget?_ " he thought.

Flashback

" I have an idea! Since we're both not sure wether we like girls or not, what about going out for a one month trial period? " Sora said.

" One month? Isn't it a bit long? " Riku asked.

" Would a week be better? "

" No, no, a month is alright. " the silver-haired boy said, shaking his head.

" Okay, it's a deal, then! "

End of flashback

" _What was that? When did it happen? I didn't recall it..._" Sora thought.

Another flashback

Riku wrapped his arms tightly around the brunette's waist.

" If something's bothering you, you can talk to me about it. " the green-eyed boy whispered in the other's ear, then he kissed him on his forehead, on his cheek... Sora clenched his hands on Riku's coat, pressing himself against him, and it was enough for him to feel peaceful again. He felt his friend shiver a bit and he looked up.

" Are you cold, Riku? "

" Yeah, a bit. " The brunette smiled gently and took the green-eyed boy's hand in his and walked towards the dorms. " You know... I'd like things to always stay like this. " Sora said.

End of flashback

"_ It happened when Smith asked me to stay after class ended. It seemed like he knew about me and Riku._ " Sora thought, then frowned. " _Me and Riku?_ "

Flashback

" Does it hurt? " Riku asked.

" Not really. " the brunette replied. " But your hands are really cold. "

" I see. " the taller teen said, smirking. He leant forward and kissed the other's stomach.

" Ri-Riku! " Sora exclaimed, blushing, but the other didn't stop. The brunette put his hands before his mouth and squeezed his eyes closed.

End of flashback

Sora felt awfully bad at this point. How could he have forgotten about such important things? What's more, why didn't Riku tell him about it? His thoughts were interrupted as he felt Allan's hand wandering around a sensitive area.

" St-stop it, please. " Sora quickly told the other. His hand retreating, Allan sat up and looked at his lover, worried.

" What's wrong, Sora? " he asked. The younger boy sat up slowly.

" I'm sorry, but I can't. "

" It's okay. We'll try again later. " Allan said, leaning forward to kiss the other. But Sora backed away.

" I should go. " he said, catching his bag and leaving the room, completely forgetting he was bare chested and that his pants hung loosely on his hips. He went down the stairs, other students eyeing him suspiciously. Wondering why they were all staring at him, he looked down at himself.

" Shit! " he exclaimed, his face turning a deep shade of red. He ran towards his room and quickly entered. Once inside, he sighed. He walked towards his bed as Riku went out of the bathroom.

" Sora!!! " the older teen exclaimed, knocking the poor brunette over as he launched himself at him. " Are you okay? " Green eyes looked at the gasping boy lying on the floor.

" Y-yeah, thanks. " the younger teen stuttered. " _This isn't good, I'm feeling really nervous._ "

" How come you're not wearing your tank top? " Riku bluntly asked, frowning.

" We did nothing, I promise! " Sora exclaimed, holding his hands up in a defensive gesture. His roommate sighed.

" It's not like it's my business, anyway. " the silver-haired boy said, getting up. His friend sat up and said nothing as he looked at his feet. Now that he remembered what happened between them, he felt it awkward to be alone with Riku. " Aren't you going to put something on? " the older boy asked, pointing at the brunette's bare chest.

" Don't tell me it bothers you? " he dared.

" Do as you like. " Riku said as he sat on his bed. Now, Sora expected him to, at least, seem a little bit shocked or embarrassed. Well, he thought he'd react! But no, the other seemed totally indifferent.

" _Maybe at that time, he didn't want to hurt me after all. Then again, **he **kissed **me** most of the time. And he hugged me first yesterday._ " the brunette thought. His back was facing Riku, so he couldn't see his friend's face, which made it easier to ask: " Say Riku, are you hidding something from me? " The other was taken aback by the blunt question and the book he was reading fell on his bed, making a soft 'thud' sound. Sora heard it.

" What makes you think that? " the sliver-haired boy asked, his voice sounding calm in spite of his nervousness. He should thank his father for this great ability he got from him.

" Well... " the brunette said as he turned his head to look at the other teen. " I was just kidding. " he cheerfully said, grinning. He got up and rummaged through his closet to find something to wear, his back still turned towards his friend. This way, he could hide his face that showed how hurt he was inside.

------

" Sora, what's gotten into you lately ? " Roxas asked. Both were in their litterature class, sitting in the last row of the classroom. The blonde frowned, seeing his stubborn cousin wouldn't reply. " You've been acting quite cold towards Riku and we don't even know why, that's really annoying! "

" Who's 'we' ? " the brunette questionned, not looking at his relative.

" Everyone except you! I thought you guys were finally on good terms again, so I didn't expect Riku coming to me and asking me if something was wrong with you. " Sora heaved a sigh and then, he finally looked at his cousin.

" He's hidding things from me. Actually, he's been doing that for a while. "

" We all have our secrets. " Roxas wisely answered.

" Of course, but when one concerns yourself, you'd like to know about it. " Sora stared at his desk. " He should have told me... " he quietly said.

" Sora... " the blonde began.

" Do you think he still likes me? "

" Who? "

" Riku, of course. "

" ... " Roxas' eyes widened. How did he know about that? Riku couldn't possibly have told him. " Why do you ask? "

" I remembered everything yesterday. I know we were dating when I suffered from amnesia. I suppose I forgot what happened then when Smith attacked me. "

" Are you interested in him? " the blonde asked.

" I don't know. It feels strange. I clearly recall being his lover for a while, but it seems like I was somebody else. It's hard to explain. " the other said. Suddenly, he realized something. " Oh my gosh, I was so stupid! Now, I understand why he didn't like Allan in the beginning. Why didn't I realize that?! And to think I told him about us dating so happily. I'm such a monster... " Sora said, his voice quivering from panick.

" Calm down, you didn't know. " Roxas rubbed the brunette's back to comfort him. There was a question he wanted to ask, but he wasn't sure if he could. He still asked it. " Listen, I'd like to ask you something. You don't have to reply if you don't want to. " Sora lifted his head and gazed at him. " What about Allan? "

" ... " The teen looked at his desk again. " I don't know either. "

" You should talk to him. To Allan, that is. He has right to know. " Roxas stated.

" How can I tell him that? That'll just hurt him. No, I can't. " Sora shook his head as he talked. That was so complicated. He still felt something for Allan, but the way he was thinking about Riku was changing little by little. " I can't tell him now, I'm not ready. "

" Okay, but make sure you do. It'll be worse is he hears about it from someone else. " The bell rang and they had to leave. They had no more lessons together. The next one was long since the brunette was left by himself. But eventually, it ended and the sixth hour started. And it was the worst class. Riku was with him. They didn't talk to each other during the whole hour. Sora didn't know what to say and Riku didn't talk, thinking that Sora was mad at him. Actually, the silver-haired teen was mad at the other too. He didn't do anything to anger him. This he was sure of. The bell rang and Riku left. Heading towards the dormitory, he noticed Sora was following him. He looked behind him many times and saw the other was glancing at him nervously. So, after a while, he stopped walking and chuckled when the brunette didn't notice it and bumped into him.

" S-sorry! " Sora exclaimed, looking away. He frowned, took a deep breath, then locked his eyes onto Riku's. " I'm sorry. I've been an ass lately. I didn't mean to. "

" Sure you were. " the silver-haired teen said. The brunette looked hurt. " But it's okay. " Sora smiled shyly. " Let's go. " Riku said, then he kept walking. Sora ran to catch up with him, then walked beside him, looking in front of him. A blush crept on his cheeks as he took Riku's hand in his. He felt the other's hand twitch.

" Sora? " the green-eyed teen calmly asked.

" Just keep walking. " the brunette said, looking at the ground. The way back was silent, but this time both appreciated it. Walking like this, hand in hand, made them feel complete. Without paying attention to it, the blue-eyed teen stood closer to his roommate with each step he took. On his side, Riku noticed it immediately.

" _What's going on? Really, I don't understand him. He was ignoring me for the past few days, and here he is today, almost cuddling with me. _" the older boy thought nervously. " _Everything began the other day with that strange question. Now that I think about it, how did he know I was hidding something from him? He didn't ask by chance, I know it. Did Allan tell him? Or did he remember?_ " he thought, hopeful. " _Nah, it's not possible._ " They quickly arrived at the dormitory, then at their dorm. They stood in the middle of the room for a while, still holding each other's hand.

" _What shoud I do? _" Sora thought. " _Should I tell him? But I'm still Allan's boyfriend. It'd hurt Riku if I tell him now. I should wait until..._ " The brunette's eyes widened. " _What was I going to think? _" He glanced at Riku quickly. "_ It seems like I've already made my choice._ " " Thanks, Riku. " the younger teen said, smiling at his friend as he let go of his hand. " Okay, I have lots of homework to do! Let's get it started! You should do yours too, Riku! "

" What? But I still have three weeks left to do them. "

" That's why you should begin now! If you have so much time to do them, it's because you'll need it. " the brunette said, sitting on his bed and opening his books.

" My, Axel was going easier on me... " Riku sadly told himself.

------

" You made Riku **work**?! Are we talking about the same guy? " Roxas asked, arching his eyebrows. They were eating dinner at the cafeteria.

" Yup. He also has plenty homeworks. I'm sure he's glad he started them! " Sora proudly said. Riku sighed.

" No wonder he looks so tired. " the blonde teased, earning a glare from angry green orbs.

" It's a bit disappointing. I thought **something else** exhausted him. " Axel commented, grinning at Sora.

" What? " the brunette asked, not getting the hint.

" You're either stupid or really innocent. " the red head added.

" Everyone's not as perverted as you are. " Roxas said, eating his yoghurt.

" Admit you like that part of my personnality. " Axel smugly said. His lover's silence was all he needed. " Yeah, Roxie likes it when I – " Sora didn't hear the rest: 1) because of people talking around them, 2) because of Riku's hands that quickly covered his ears. He was glad though, seeing how red his cousin's cheeks were.

" Axel, don't talk about that while we're eating! " the blonde said. He was about to eat a spoonful of yoghurt but as he eyed it, it seemed less appetizing. " I'm not eating this after what you just said. " Roxas said, putting his dessert aside. Axel smiled, proud.

" We'll continue this little conversation when we have more privacy, then. " the red head teased.

" You bet. " the blonde played along. Sora frowned.

" I don't understand... " he said, pouting.

" Do you want me to explain it to you? " Riku asked, grinning.

" No way. " Roxas answered instead of his cousin. " Not until you become his boyfriend. If it ever happens. "

" Speaking of which, how come Allan's not here? " Axel asked.

" He said he had things to do. " Sora said, his cheeks becoming rosy. " But I know it's because of me. Well, I can understand him. "

" What happened? " his cousin asked, worried.

" Erm... " the brunette mumbled, his face turning a deeper shade of red. He leant over the table and motioned for his friends to do the same. " We were having a... heated make out session the other day in his room but I told him to stop. " he whispered. " I think he didn't appreciate it. "

" Now, I'm the one who doesn't understand. " Axel stated.

" Of course you wouldn't. " his lover said.

" I have my reasons. " Sora said, looking at his lap.

" Sure you do. " Riku told his roommate, smiling at him softly. " Like I told you, it'll come. Don't worry. "

" ... " The spiky-haired teen eyed him sadly before he stared at his lap again. " _How can you say that and smile?_ " he thought as his heart bled.

" Maybe he's not the right one. " the blonde commented, trying to help his cousin, who was glad he did. Until...

" Why are you staying with him if he's not the right one? " Axel asked.

" Well, that is... " Sora mumbled. Riku was looking at him and it made him nervous. " I don't recall saying he wasn't. " Oh great, that so the right thing to say... That probably hirt Riku. " Let's just wait and see. " he concluded, shrugging.

" See what? "

The blue-eyed boy's heart skipped a few beats as he recognized his lover's voice.

" Allan? I thought you – "

" Weren't coming? Well, I did in the end. " the brown-eyed boy replied, interrupting his boyfriend.

" Now, don't take it like that. I didn't mean it in a bad way. " Sora told the other.

" Nor did you mean to hurt me the other day. " he snaped.

" What? " the younger teen asked, gulping loudly. Riku frowned.

" Come, I need to talk to you. " Allan said as he exited the crowded room. Sora arose to his feet and followed him. He barely had time to close the door behind him before he was pinned against the wall and lips crashed onto his. But he was used to kissing now so he didn't mind. He began to kiss back when memories invaded his mind again. He even found himself thinking Riku was a better kisser. Then, he froze. Allan felt the younger teen tensing up, so he broke the kiss and looked square into Sora's eyes.

" I thought I scared you because I was going too fast. But you rejected me again today. Or maybe you are still embarrassed? " he asked.

" ... " Sora lifted his head and stared into the other's eyes. They looked so sad. The blue-eyed boy wondered if it was the right time to explain everything to him. It would hurt him, but wouldn't waiting make it worse? He took a deep breath as he made his decision. " I can't do this anymore. "

" ... " The brown-eyed teen's face paled. " What did you just say? " he asked. Sora looked away. " Sora... " he added, trying to pull his lover closer, but he only got pushed back.

" Please, Allan. Don't make this harder than it already is. " the other whispered, still staring at the ground.

" Is it because of what happened in my room? "

" Yeah. "

" I promise I won't do this until you feel alright about it. I'll... I'll just wait. " Allan said, his voice quivering.

" It's not that I wasn't ready to go further with you. Something came up at that time and that disturbed me. To tell you the truth, it still does. " Seeing the long-haired boy didn't talk, he took it as a sign to continue. " It was about Riku. "

" What ? " Allan almost yelled. Sora recognized that angry tone he already heard a few days ago.

" Did you know I suffered from amnesia? "

" Yeah, Riku told me about it. " the older teen replied.

" What did he tell you exactly? "' the brunette asked, curious. Allan could have told him Riku missed the time when he was going out with Sora and that he still liked him, but he was too angry at the two to help them getting together again.

" Nothing special. " And that hurt Sora.

" _Nothing special?_ " the younger teen thought. " _So, that was all there was to him? Nothing?_ "

" You didn't finish your explanation. " the brown-eyed boy noted. The other blinked a few times and tried to remember where he stopped explaining.

" Right, so I suffered from amnesia and I remembered that at that time, Riku and I were... well, a couple... " he whispered the last word and looked sheepishly at his now ex-boyfriend. His expression didn't change. " ... when you kissed me on my stomach. "

" Did you... " Allan's eyes grew wide. " Were you thinking about **him** while I was... God, I CAN'T BELIEVE THIS!!! " He hit the wall with his fist next to the smaller boy's head, making him jump.

" Please, calm down. People will – "

" The hell I care about people! " the other exclaimed. He leant backwards and started to walk away.

" Allan, I'm really sorry! I didn't mean to hurt you! " Sora said, following the other brunette who turned back.

" Don't worry, I'll be okay now. Let's just say I lost the contest. "

" Contest? " Blue orbs narrowed as they got teary. " So, everything that happened was just a game to you?! " the spiky-haired teen exclaimed. " **I** was taking our relationship seriously, you bastard! "

" Who's the real bastard, I wonder? " Allan snaped back. " I don't understand why you're so angry. Now, you can go and cry on Riku's shoulder all you want. I won't stop you anymore... Well, if heartless guys cry, that is. " That being said, he walked away again. " I guess we're through, then. "

And Sora stood there, speechless.

------

A/U: As you can see, I could still update! I'm soooooooo glad those tests are over! (for now) I still found some time to write this!

Well, as Anahearts123 guessed, Sora remembered everything! To tell you the truth, I wasn't going to have that happen, but since she's so nice and seemed to want it badly, I did it! And I don't regret it! I think it made the story more interesting to let readers think it could be possible. Or is it just me thinking that? ; Oh well... Now that Sora knows about that, you can all guess this story is soon going to end. I have no idea how many chapters will be written though... I just know it will end soon. ( maybe in two or three chapters? ) I'll just think about it when the time comes.

Sora: So, you'll be leaving us alone, then?

Riku: I hope you'll make Sora love me and let me him and and –

Becca: Woa, stop that! gets a nosebleed Stupid, it's a T rated fic! I can't possibly do that!!! hits him on the head

Riku: You're so cruel...

Becca: Well, don't worry guys! I'm already thinking about a whole new plot! I still have to find more ideas, but I know I can do it!!! Oh, one last thing: thank you so very much for your reviews everyone! ( sorry, I'm as lazy as Riku, so I'm not writing your names. Shame on me! ) See you soon!


	20. Chapter 20

**Disclaimer**:

Riku: Sora's mine!

Becca: No, no, no. That's not what you're supposed to say!

Sora: But that was fine with me…. blushes I mean-

Becca: The hell I care about what's fine with you or not! **I**'m the author here, so you have no- gets smacked by Riku O-okay, maybe I do care…. Just a little, then.

Riku: Good girl. Now, just say it.

Becca: Ki-Kingdom Hearts' characters aren't mine…. Was it good?

Riku: Dunno. Sora?

Sora: ….Do you really want me to be yours?

Riku: Want me to prove it? grins evily

Sora: Oh, Riku! Don't do that here! She's looking at us! …It's scary.

Becca: Don't mind me. Just keep doing your things. she says as she gets a nosebleed

------

" You two what?! " Roxas exclaimed. He was in his room with Axel, and Sora came over because he needed to talk to his cousin. He was okay with the red head listening though. Anyone could hear him as long as it wasn't Riku.

" We broke up. " the brunette replied, sighing.

" You look sad. Wasn't it what you wanted? " the blonde asked, worry filtering through his voice.

" It was, but we left on such bad terms! I feel like crap right now. I… I'd like to do something to make him forgive me. "

" Forgive you? " Axel asked, interested in the conversation, to the two other boys' surprise.

" He knows about me and Riku. I told him. "

" Ouch. " the red-haired boy commented.

" Yeah, and he didn't like it. Of course he wouldn't. I can understand him. " the brunette said.

" Well, I don't. " Roxas stated. Axel and Sora eyed him. " After all, Riku was first, so it's only natural to let him have you. "

" Now, don't say it like I'm some mere toy. " Sora said, frowning.

" Being a boy toy isn't that far from that. " the green-eyed boy teased.

" Even if I was Riku's boy toy, it doesn't mean he still likes me, that is if he ever liked me at all. "

" You don't even try to deny what I said…? " Axel said.

" … " Roxas said nothing, even if he knew what he should tell his relative. It wasn't his place to tell him about Riku's feelings. But it didn't mean he couldn't help him. After all, he made a promise to both teens. " What makes you think he didn't like being your boyfriend? You two looked absolutely cute together. "

" Okay, maybe he **liked** it, but I don't know if he'd still like it. I mean, he never really shows me anything else than friendship. " Sora replied.

" That's probably because you were going out with someone else. You'll see when you tell him about your break-up. "

" But I'm still not sure if I like him in that way! " the brunette said, blushing.

" Then, don't talk about him as if you did. " Axel snaped. " Really Sora, it's annoying how you tend to beat around the bush. Damn, just go for it already! " His sudden outburst surprised the cousins. He sighed as he calmed down. " How do you feel about him? "

" I truly don't know. " Sora answered, trying to defend himself.

" When you remember the time you spent with him as a couple, are you disgusted? "

" Of course not! I'd never – "

" Do you miss it ? " Axel cut him off. And Sora blinked a few times, confused.

" I never thought about that. "

" Then, ask yourself that question the next time you see Riku. You'll find out quickly. "

" … " A few minutes later, the brunette left them and Roxas warned him about not letting Riku do ' weird things' to him. Axel only added a quiet 'unless you want him to ' that earned a glare coming from his lover. But Sora didn't care about that. He didn't even understand why they told him that anyway – in fact, they were just teasing him. He was going down the stairs when a girl called him. He looked back and recognized her but couldn't recall what her name was.

" Aren't you Kairi's friend? " he asked.

" Yup. I'm Selphie! " she cheerfully answered. " Say, I heard you're not Allan's boyfriend anymore? " News were spreading fast!

" Erm… yeah. " the blue-eyed boy shyly answered.

" That's good, then! " she answered, to Sora's surprise. " You see, there's one of my friends who's completely obsessed with him. She was so sad when she heard he confessed to you! I think she'll be happy to know this. "

" Maybe you should tell her to wait for a while. We left on bad terms so he might be pretty harsh to her. Two days or three should be enough. " he adviced her. She looked at him for a moment, not even blinking once. Then, she beamed at Sora.

" My, I wasn't believing Kairi, but she was right in the end. You really are a nice guy! Not that I was thinking you weren't! " she quickly added, suddenly panicking. But seeing Sora laughed, she was relieved. " Don't be too nice though, or people will take advantage of this. And also, you should worry about yourself too. That's really kind to think about my friend, but what about you? Aren't you at least going to talk to him? "

" I will, but now's not the right time. I'll try to see him when he's less angry. "

" That would be the right thing to do! Well, I just wanted to be sure. Now that I have my answer, I'll let you go wherever you were going to. See ya, Sora! "

" Bye. " he answered as he watched her climbing the stairs. He kept walking towards his room and found it empty. " Riku's out. " he whispered. He sat at his desk and did his homeworks until late at night. When he went to bed, his roommate still wasn't back and he began to worry until he fell asleep. A little while later, he awoke as he heard someone entering the room.

" _He's back_. " he thought, slowly awakening. " _I should tell him – Wait, it's night time already. I don't think he wants me to bother him with my complaints._ " His eyes shot open as his bed creaked when someone sat on its edge. He didn't move, faking being asleep.

" Are you sleeping? " Now, that was bad. That wasn't Riku's voice at all! Nor was it Allan's. The brunette had his back facing the stranger, so he couldn't see him at all. Then, a hand softly pressed against his shoulder to make him lie on his back. Scared, Sora screamed… almost like a girl, but he was really, really scared, so he didn't care at that time.

" Calm down, please! It's me! Zexion! " the other added, sounding panicked and putting a hand on the teen's mouth to make him stop yelling.

" God, Zexion! Couldn't you tell me it was you **earlier**?! I thought you were Riku! "

" I'm sorry if I disappointed you. Actually, Riku's sending me. "

" Eh? What happened? Is he alright? " Sora asked, worried.

" Sure he is. He asked me to come and get you. Take a vest, it's a bit cold. " Zexion told the brunette as he headed towards the door.

" Where are we going? " the teen asked. He glanced at the clock and it read one in the morning.

" I can't tell you. It's a surprise. " They exited the room and climbed the stairs. There were bedrooms on three floors only, so Sora was surprised when they kept climbing to the sixth floor, the last one. There was only one door at the end of a corridor that led to another flight of stairs. And at the top of them, Zexion took a small piece of fabric out of his pocket and covered Sora's eyes with it. " Give me your hand, I'll led you. " The blue-eyed boy did what he was told to and held his hand out. The young man took it and, after he opened the door, he pulled him into the fresh air of the night. The brunette felt someone else taking his hand instead of Zexion. He didn't feel quite comfortable about the whole situation and he couldn't help but feel nervous. Well, he could trust Riku's brother, so he quickly calmed down as he heard whispers and recognized some of the voices. Then, the one leading him stopped walking and stood behind him as he took the blindfold off. They were on the dormitory's rooftop and from here, they had a beautiful view of the town from above with its lights on. The spiky-haired teen lifted his head up and could see numerous stars in the sky.

" So pretty… " he whispered, amazed.

" Isn't it? "

Sora turned back. So, it was Riku who was standing behind him.

" Riku! I was wondering where you could be! I was really worried! " the younger boy exclaimed.

" I couldn't tell you I was here or it wouldn't have been a surprise anymore. Look, we brought stuff to make ourselves comfortable! " Riku said, pointing at his brother's colleagues who where sitting on old cushions and drinking beer, laughing all the while. " But the real fun is about to begin! Come and sit down! " he added as he pulled the brunette towards the group.

" Hi! " Sora told Larxene and Marluxia. The others weren't there, so he simply concluded they weren't interested in whatever he was there for. The couple nodded and they kept talking to each other.

" It's beginning. " Zexion calmly said as he pointed a finger towards the sky. Everyone looked up and they could see many shooting stars.

" Wow! " the shorter boy exclaimed, a huge smile gracing his face. He coudn't stop himself from grinning each time he saw one. " There are so many! How come? "

" Uncle told me this kind of things doesn't happen often and that he saw one a long time ago. He said he never forgot that night. "

" I believe I won't either! " the brunette said, beaming at his silver-haired friend whose cheeks became rosy. " That is amazing. " No one talked until they saw no falling star anymore. After that, they all went back to their rooms.

" That was one of the best nights I ever had! " the blue-eyed teen cheerfully exclaimed as Riku sat on his bed and took his shirt off.

" How many times do I have to tell you you don't have to turn back while I change? I don't really mind, you know. " the silver-haired teen said, sighing.

" But I don't want to embarrass you. " Sora replied, his back still facing the other.

" Actually, it's worse with you acting like that. "

" Sorry… " The smaller boy slowly turned around to face his roommate, trying hard to keep himself from blushing. Riku looked at him and smiled.

" Now, that's better. " he said.

" Hey, Riku. " Sora began. " Thank you very much for tonight. I really loved it. If there's anything you want, just ask! "

" Anything, you say? " Riku repeated, grinning evily.

" Yeah, anything that doesn't involve my virginity. " the brunette said, sticking his tongue out at the other.

" I wouldn't. I'm not a pervert, unlike you. "

" Just tell me what you want already! " Blue orbs narrowed.

" Okay, okay. Well… " the silver-haired teen trailed off. " No, you wouldn't do that. "

" Do what? " the younger boy asked, curious.

" Well, since you're going out with Allan… And I don't want him to imagine things. "

" Go ahead. Allan's not with me anymore. " the brunette informed his friend, looking at the ground.

" What? But – "

" I'm okay, don't worry. So, what did you want? " Sora pressed, changing the subject. Riku frowned, but Sora only nodded as a sign to just go ahead.

" Give me a kiss, then. " he said. The brunette's face blushed like mad but he still managed to mumble a small " 'kay " before he came closer and leant forward. He gave a quick peck on the other's lips and fount it nice, so he kissed him again, much longer and much deeper this time. When he leant backwards, Riku's eyes were wide.

" What was **that**? " the green-eyed boy asked, blinking in surprise.

" Well, a kiss? " the brunette answered.

" I was thinking about a kiss on the cheek, not on the lips, you know. " Riku said, then laughed.

" Why didn't you tell me, then?! My, I made a fool of myself! " the younger boy mumbled, hidding his face in his hands.

" Don't worry, it's okay. " the silver-haired boy said, shrugging in spite of the excitement he was feeling. " By the way, I didn't expect you to be such a good kisser. "

" Idiot, don't you remem – " the brunette began, but he quickly bit his tongue to keep himself from saying the rest. He just couldn't yell at Riku for not knowing it was because he kissed him many times before. " Don't you remember I told you Allan kissed well? "

" You told me that? " the older teen said, arching his eyebrows.

" Yeah, and you forgot, you meanie! " Deep inside, Sora was yelling how sorry he was for lying to his best friend. But he couldn't help it. " Well, I'm tired. Let's go to bed. "

" Alright. "

------

Roxas' room was pretty loud. Thankfully, it was day time so it didn't really bother other residents. Hopefully.

" I tell you he'd love it! " Axel said, being his stubborn self.

" And I tell you he wouldn't! " Sora replied, just as stubborn.

" Roxas? " both asked the poor blonde who was getting irritated by their childish quarrel. He only glared at them, then kept doing was he was doing: staring at the ceiling. It had been almost half an hour since everything started.

Flashback

" What are you going to do, then? " Roxas asked his cousin, who just got in the couple's room.

" I'm going to find Allan, talk to him and make him talk to me again, even if I have to **force** him to. " the brunette stated.

" What about Riku? " Axel asked.

" … " Sora thought for a moment. He was almost sure he felt something for his silver-haired friend – something stronger than friendship, that is – but, even if he truly liked him, maybe it would be a one-sided love. He mentally kicked himself for forgetting everything. Then again, he couldn't really help it. " I'll just try to leave hints and see how he reacts. I guess. "

" Sounds like a good idea to me. " the blonde said.

" But knowing how dense Riku can be at times, I think obvious hints would be the best solution. "

" They won't be hints anymore if they're too obvious, idiot. " the brunette snaped.

" Don't you call him an idiot! Even if you're my cousin, I won't let you say that! " Roxas said.

" But you do it all the time. " Sora replied, blinking in surprise.

" Well, **I** have the right to. " the blonde simply told the other.

" Anyway – " the red head interrupted, " – I have a great idea! I'm sure Riku will love this! " The smirk that spread on his face made Sora shudder. " Dress as a girl! "

" … " Roxas stared blankly at his lover, speechless.

" This is the dumbest thing I've **ever** heard…. " the brunette said, his eyes narrowing. " Why would he like that, anyway?! "

" Because he's a man. And when a man loves another man, he can't help but wonder how the other would look if he wore women's clothes. "

" Oh, really? " both teens replied at the same time.

" Of course. For example, I'd die to see Roxas wearing a cute schoolgirl uniform, one with a short skirt, just like in my dreams, so that I can – "

" YOU'RE COMPLETELY INSANE!!!!! " Roxas yelled as he looked daggers at his boyfriend.

" You remind me of those old geezers who follow teenage girls in the streets. " Sora said, a disgusted expression on his face.

" Ouch, that hurt! " the green-eyed boy exclaimed, placing a hand on his chest. " Still, I think Riku would love to see you cross-dress. "

" He wouldn't. " the brunette answered.

" He would. "

" He wouldn't. "

End of flashback

Roxas couldn't take it anymore at this point. So, he just arose to his feet and exited the room. Both boys watched him leave them, then looked at each other.

" What's wrong with him? " Axel asked.

" Well, I don't know. Maybe it's because his lover is a stubborn dumbass who wouldn't stop saying stupid things. " Sora suggested.

" You won't know if it's really stupid until you try. There, let's make a bet! " the red head offered, grinning like there was no tomorrow.

" Okay? " the blue-eyed boy asked more than answered. He had a bad feeling about this.

" If Riku likes you dressing as a girl… " he trailed off, thinking. " You'll have to pay for a romantic dinner for Roxas and me. And if you win… "

" I get to beat the crap out of you until my anger and shame vanish. "

" … Now, don't take it like that. "

------

And D-day came. Too fast for Sora's liking. He kept looking at the ground as he passed many pupils staring at him and giggling. Well, they had a pretty good reason to. Larxene had helped him dressing as girly as he could. He was wearing her old school uniform, that was pretty cute… when worn by **girls**. It looked ridiculous on him. And she also had the oh-so-great idea to put a pink ribbon in his hair. Now, he would disappear if he could. But he kept thinking that it could help him get closer to Riku, so he bore with it. It would just be fo one day anyway. He walked in the corridors until one voice in particular was heard. He looked up and met teary brown eyes he knew all too well. Allan was laughing like mad, not able to hold his laughter. Taking this as a chance to talk to him, Sora grabbed his wrist and pulled him in the closest room: the toilets. Now, that brought back memories…. The younger teen didn't really care if the other was currently mocking him. He wanted to talk to him, and he **would**. Eventually, Allan calmed down and caught his breath.

" Okay, now that you've settled, listen to me, please. " Sora said.

" I have nothing to tell you, nor do you. " the taller boy snaped. He tried to walk away but he was surprised when skinny arms pushed him against the wall and made sure he couldn't leave.

" I have **many** things to tell you actually, and you'll just listen to it until I'm done. " the brunette stated. Allan gulped. " First, I wanted to tell you I'm sorry. "

" I suppose that's why you're holding me captive in the toilets? "

" Secondly – " Sora continued, ignoring what his ex-lover said. " I don't want us to be fighting. I'd like to stay at least friends with you. " Allan laughed coldly.

" And you expect me to say 'okay, let's just forget about everything and start anew' ? You've got to be kidding me. " the older teen said, looking away.

" I don't plan on starting anew. " the blue-eyed boy said, still looking at the other, who made eye contact again. " That wouldn't be right. I'm not stupid, nor cruel enough to take the risk of hurting you again. "

" If you really think that, then I'm sorry to inform you it's a bit too late. You should have thought about that earlier. "

" Do you think it's funny for me?! " Sora exclaimed, his voice rising. " I know you're hurt and hate me, but don't you dare thinking I'm not suffering because of this! "

" Don't make me laugh. " Allan snaped. " You – " he interrupted himself when he saw a single tear rolling down the other's cheek.

" Listen, I can't go back in time and change what I did in the past. " the smaller boy said, wipping his tear quickly. " You can't deny you also made me suffer before I remembered everything. I'm sorry to tell you this, but Riku had always been there for me when I needed to talk to someone, even when it was about you. He **never** said anything bad about you and tried his best to help me. When I was stressed by the thought of taking a step forward with you, he comforted me while he was probably dying deep inside. He never hurt me or scared me like you did. " Sora was mentally kicking himself for saying all those things, but he couldn't stop the words falling from his lips.

" Wait, when did I scare you? " the long-haired boy asked, blinking in confusion. For the first time since they entered the small room, Sora looked at his feet.

" The day you got pretty angry about me talking to Riku. And also when I told you about my memories… " the small brunette almost whispered, then bit his bottom lip nervously. Somehow, Allan's gaze softened. Feeling his ex-boyfriend's grip on his shoulder faltering, he freed himself and hugged Sora thightly. He couldn't deny he had been unfair. Now that he thought about it, he almost asked the other to stop seeing his best friend, which wasn't really nice of him. He thought again about what the other just told him and he realized how true that was. Riku – even if he was cold towards him in the beginning – never said anything bad about him and respected his relationship with Sora. Not once did he try to take them apart.

" I'm sorry, Sora. " he whispered, as he tightened his embrace and nuzzled his face in the brunette's shoulder. Sora shyly hugged back and said nothing. They stayed like that for a moment, ignoring the bell that informed class started. " Everything will be fine, now. We'll just start from scratch. " Allan said, breaking the embrace. Sora lifted his head and looked at him, tilting his head to the side. " Name's Allan. " he added, holding a hand out. Blue eyes blinked a few times, then a smile made its appearance.

" Sora. " the other replied as he shook hands. They walked together in the empty corridors of the school. Allan had to leave the brunette alone, for his classroom was at the opposite direction of Sora's. The smaller boy waved at him, then headed towards his classroom, his heart lighter…. For a short time. His entrance was greatly noticed because he was late, and his outfit didn't help at all. He ignored his classmates giggles and the teacher's lecture. He sat next to Riku, as usual and took his stuff out of his bag.

" … " Riku wanted to laugh but he thought the brunette would be angry at him if he did, so he hold it back. On his side, Sora was wondering if his clothes had any effect on Riku. He glanced from the corner of his eye and noticed the silver-haired teen's expression didn't change at all. Maybe he didn't even recognized him? " What's with the outfit? " the green-eyed boy eventually asked.

" Well, I made a stupid bet with Axel and - " His friend smacked him in the head. " Ouch! What was that for?! " the brunette angrily asked.

" It's you who told me to hit you whenever you made a bet. "

" Really? " Sora asked, arching an eyebrow. He payed closer attention to what the teacher was saying and took notes. A blush crept on his cheeks as he thought about the question he wanted to ask Riku. Gathering his courage, the brunette turned his head to face Riku. " Say, Riku… Do you … like it? " Green orbs blinked a few times.

" Like what? "

" Well, the outfit… " the brunette replied, pouting and his face turning a deeper shade of red all the while.

" No. " Riku bluntly replied.

" … " Sora looked at his desk, frowning at first, then smiling widely. " Why, thank you! I'll be able to beat that asshole to a pulp. I **knew** you wouldn't like it. "

" Who would like such a thing as a boy who cross-dress? " The brunette laughed a little as a reply.

" Well, I'll go back to the dorms at lunch and change, then. "

" Do you think you'll have enough time? "

" Of course. "

------

And indeed, Sora had plenty time. He met his small group of friends in the school's hall and, about half an hour after he entered, another person opened the entrance doors. He was quite tall, had a pale skin covered by red clothes. The man was quite noticeable with that cold gaze of his, but also – and mostly – because of his long black hair. As the mysterious man made his entrance, the brunette's eyes landed on his silhouette and widened.

" What's wrong, Sora? " Roxas asked.

" V-Vi – I can't believe it! It's Vincent Valentine!! " he exclaimed.

" Who's that? " the three asked in unison.

" Just one of the ten most popular writers. " Sora sarcastically said as he opened his rucksack and took a sheet of paper and a pen out of it. " 'Be right back! " he added without looking back as he ran towards the guy known as Vincent. The writer's eyes locked onto the running brunette and never looked away.

" H-Hi, sir! " Sora said, trying to quickly catch his breath. " I-I truly like the books you write and I was wondering if you could give me an autograph, please. " he asked, handing the paper and the pen to the man.

" Sure. " he answered in a quiet but deep voice.

" By the way… " the brunette began. He continued once the other made eye contact with him again. " Your last book was great, but somewhat different from your previous works, and I was wondering why… "

" So, you noticed? You're the first one who told me that. " Sora didn't know if it was sarcasm or not, seeing Vincent's face was as expressive as a rock.

" Sorry, I bet people probably told you that many times… " the blue-eyed boy whispered.

" Like I told you, you're the first one who noticed. I was serious. " Vincent replied. " Now, what differences did you find? " he asked, curious.

" Well… Firstly, the story's told by the protagonist and by an exterior narrator. Secondly, the main character's a woman. And finally, there are two endings: the one everybody can read and a hidden one. One just have to read one line out of two in the last paragraph to discover it. To tell you the truth, I think the hidden ending suits the whole story better. " Sora explained.

" That makes the two of us, then. " the writer replied. " Well, you discovered everything it seems. I'm glad. "

" How come nobody else pointed it out? That's pretty obvious. "

" Maybe people aren't as observant as you are. Or maybe they just don't think that much… " Vincent wondered out loud, then sighed. " Hm, anyway, could you help me? I'm searching for someone. "

" Of course! Maybe I know the person. " the blue-eyed teen offered.

" His name's Haruno Sora. He won Pete's contest. I think people should know him. " The teen's eyes widened.

" I- It's me. " he replied.

" Really? " the black-haired man questionned, eyeing the boy suspiciously. You never know how far fans would go to be around you. But his doubts disappeared as he got proof that the teen wasn't lying.

" Hey, Sora! You're going to be late! " Riku called as he waved at his friend.

" I'm coming! " the brunette replied, waving back. He turned his head and looked at the writer. " Erm… I should leave. Maybe you'd like to come with us? " he offered. Vincent laughed softly then replied:

" Sure, why not. "

The boys had class with Cloud, who was over-joyed by Vincent's presence. He was also one of his fans and the one who lended his books to his younger cousin. When the bell rang, the three stayed in the empty classroom.

" So, what could bring you here? " Cloud asked.

" I came for him. " the black-haired man answered, glancing at Sora. " I read your story and greatly liked it. You could become famous quickly, you know. You just need a little help. " the writer said.

" You liked it? My, if one told me that, I think I would have laughed in their faces. " the brunette said as a blush appeared on his cheeks.

" I'd like you to co-write a book with me. " Vincent told the brunette.

" W-what?! " the teen stuttered. " _Oh.My.God! I can't believe this is happening!!_ " he thought.

" Are you interested? " the writer asked.

" Sure I am! " Sora exclaimed, beaming. " But how are we going to do that? I mean, you live abroad and I can't connect to the net here… "

" I know, which is why I'd be glad if you agreed on coming to my house while we work on it. You're still a student and I know you can't leave school for too long, so it'll only last for two months. " Vincent offered.

" I see. " Sora simply said. Two months… That was long. He wouldn't be able to see his friends for a while. He wouldn't be with Riku for two long months.

" You don't have to reply right now. My flight back is on Thursday. It gives you three days to think about it. I'll come back that day and know your answer. In case you'd agree, pack your things so that we can drive to the airport right away. " the man said. He walked towards the door. " See you on Thursday, Sora. " he added before he closed the door behind him. Cloud looked nervously at his cousin.

" Say, you're not going to refuse his offer, are you? " the blonde man asked.

" I won't. I know this is a great chance that shouldn't be missed. I just hope my friends will understand that. " the brunette replied, a frown appearing on his face.

" If they are true friends, they will. "

------

Sora remained silent for the rest of the day. The three other teens were kind of worried. They couldn't remember the last time they saw him so depressed. The only time he smiled during that day was when he saw a girl confessing to Allan, who agreed on going out with her. At least, he was moving on. Sora spent most of the evening outside, lying on the grass and staring at the sky. Telling everyone about his near departure wasn't something hard to do at all. What truly worried him was their reaction. Maybe they would be happy for him and encourage him. Maybe they would think he was abandoning them and hate him. He knew deep inside that Roxas would probably be sad to not see him for a long time, but he would understand and support him. Axel… He wouldn't care that much, as long as Roxas wasn't the one leaving. And Riku… Well, now he was the real problem. Sora dreaded his reaction and it made him sick to his stomach each time he thought about it. But telling him about his departure wasn't an option, so he'd have to gather up his courage and face him. And just like that, Monday, then Tuesday passed and he still hadn't told his friends. Sora decided to wait until they ate lunch.

" You've been awfully quiet since you met that man. " Roxas stated, looking at his cousin. The two other boys nodded in agreement.

" Yeah, I know. " the brunette replied, looking at his hands that rested on his lap. He gulped loudly before he lifted his head up and looked at them. He had to say it **right now** before his determination faded away.

" I – " he began but his voice quivered. He saw the boys frowning, worried expressions on their faces. " I'm going abroad. For two months. " he finally informed them.

" WHAT?!! " they all exclaimed.

" Well, Mr Valentine asked me if I was interested in writing a book with him. But to do that, I have to go and live with him until it's completed. " the brunette said, staring at his friends. " That – that's a great opportunity and I don't want to blow it. So, please, let me go! " he asked, bitting his lip nervously.

" Does auntie know about this? " the blonde asked.

" Y-yeah, I told her already. " Sora answered, blinking in confusion.

" Well, she's the only one who could stop you – though it wouldn't be right. As for me… " Roxas trailed off. " … I wish you good luck and hope to see you soon! " he concluded, beaming at his cousin.

" Same here. " Axel told the brunette.

" Guys… " Sora said, his heart feeling warm. Then, he looked at Riku.

" … " The silver-haired teen said nothing and left the cafeteria.

" Riku! " the red head angrily called.

" It's okay, Axel. Just let him be. " the brunette said, looking at the table.

" This guy is so rude. He could at least congratulate you. " the green-eyed boy huffed.

" I'll talk to him tonight, so don't worry. " the blue-eyed boy told him. " _I knew it_. " he thought as his heart bled. Neither of them saw Riku during the afternoon and they just concluded he went to the dormitory to sulk. So childish… The brunette was growing nervous with each step he took towards the dorms. How was he going to deal with an angry silver-haired teen? He had no idea…

" Hey, Sora! " someone called. Blue eyes searched for the one who called and landed on Allan.

" Hi, Allan. " the small brunette answered, smiling the best he could.

" Erm, there's something I'd like to tell you. " the brown-eyed boy sheepishly said.

" If it's about you having a girlfriend, I already know about it. " Sora bluntly answered.

" W-what? How did you know?!! " the other asked, panicking.

" I saw you. That's great for you. Congrats! " the blue-eyed boy said as he beamed at his friend.

" Well, thank you. " A short period of silence. " What about you and Riku? Are you two together? "

" No. And to make it worse, I made him angry. "

" What happened? " Allan, at this point, was greatly worried.

" I'm leavin the school for two months, starting tomorrow. I'm going to live with Vincent Valentine and co-write a book with him. "

" Wow, that's something! It's great! " the long-haired boy beamed at the other, then his smile faltered. " Wait, that's why Riku's mad at you? "

" Precisely. "

" He's an idiot. He should be happy. And it's not like you won't be coming back, anyway. " Allan stated, pouting.

" I don't know what I should tell him. I don't want to hurt him more. " Sora almost whispered. Allan took a step forward and took the smaller boy in his arms for a tight embrace. The blue-eyed boy nuzzled his face in the other's chest, seeking comfort.

" Don't worry. Just be yourself and everything will be okay again. " the older teen whispered softly. They stood like that until Sora broke the hug.

" I should stop to rely on others so much. I'm being a burden. "

" On the contrary, you should keep on relying on us. That's what friends are made for. "

Both walked silently in the dormitory's direction and when it was time for them to part, Sora felt awfully anxious. He stood before his room's door for a few minutes until he gathered enough courage to open it. It creaked on its hinges as it slowly opened. Cautious to not face the other, Sora closed the door and took a deep breath. He slowly turned around and jumped when he noticed green orbs staring at him.

" Damn it, Riku! Say something instead of staring like that! You almost gave me a heart attack! " the brunette exclaimed. He could swear his roommate could hear his fast heartbeats.

" Why didn't you tell me earlier that you were leaving? " Riku coldly asked. Now, it was better when he was silent.

" I… I was afraid of your reaction. "

" What a poor excuse. " the silver-haired teen snaped.

" Why, you – " Sora couldn't take it anymore and charged towards his friend. He mercilessly pinned him on his own bed. " If you really are my friend, you should be happy for me! And, just as a reminder, I'm leaving for **two months**, not forever! I know it's long but that's something that doesn't happen everyday. I **have** to go. Even though… " he trailed off as his voice quivered. " _Even though I'll miss you._ " he thought. He gasped when Riku shifted their position and found himself beneath the other, big and strong hands pinning his on his sides.

" You dumbass, of course I'm happy for you! " the older teen said between greeted teeth.

" Oh, really? That's hard to tell. " the blue-eyed boy snaped. And it was Riku's turn to lose his temper. He leant down and kissed the whimpering brunette roughly.

" W- What do you think you are doing?! " Sora said, his voice sounding half angry and half sultry as his roommate left kisses along his jaw line.

" Showing you how happy I am. " the green-eyed boy replied huskily. He entangled his fingers with the brunette's, his hands still keeping the other from getting away.

" This… " the younger boy began. " _This feels so good._ " he thought. But he didn't want something like this to happen in such bad conditions. " This isn't right, Riku. Stop it, please. " And the sliver-haired teen did. He looked at Sora, whose head was turned to the left to avoid his gaze. His stomach fell as he realized what he just tried to do. But to his surprise, when the brunette sat up, he wrapped his arms around his waist and held him tightly, his face burried in his chest.

" I'm sorry, Riku. But I really want to go. " he quietly said.

" Okay. " the other replied, running a hand through brown spikes. " I'll wait for you. "

" Riku, I… " Sora began, lifting his head up to look into green eyes. " _Now, I'm sure I like him. _" he thought. " _All I have to say is that I can't forgive myself for forgetting the great moments we had together. Say that I miss them. Say that I –_ " His lips curled up into a warm smile as the silver-haired teen stared.

" _Is he goin to say what I'm thinking he's going to say?_ " Riku thought. " _Oh my, if he does, what should I do? Heh, I think I'd kiss him, hug him and make him have the hottest night he'll ever have – Wait, maybe that would be too fast._ " the older boy thought.

" I – " the brunette tried again, but his mouth wouldn't work. He knew what he wanted to tell his roommate, but he just couldn't. " I will miss you – all! " he quickly said. " _Damn, I shouldn't have added that word!!!_ " he thought, mentally kicking himself.

" Oh, yeah. " the green-eyed teen replied, obviously disappointed. " The same goes for us. "

" I think I should pack now. " the spiky-haired boy said as he broke the embrace. During the first hour, he mostly wandered around the room before he began picking things and putting them in bags.

------

Then, Thursday came and it was already time for the brunette to say his goodbyes. Roxas, Axel, Riku and Cloud waited for Vincent at the school gates with Sora, who was highly nervous.

" I hope I didn't forget anything. Ah! My toothbrush! I forgot my toothbrush!! I should – " Sora panicked.

" Calm down, I gave it to you this morning and you put it in one of your bags. " Riku told him.

" Yeah, right. Thanks. "

" You sure you'll be alright? " Axel asked.

" I will. " Sora replied. A taxi pulled over in front of them and Vincent got out of it. His lips curled up into a smile as he saw the luggage aroung the teen.

" I assume you accepted the offer. " he said, his smile not faltering. The young boy nodded once. " Okay, let's put everything in the car then. " The six men were finished in no time and Sora talked to his friends and cousins before leaving for good.

" Well, I – I will miss you all so much! I promise I'll send you letters to let you know I'm doing fine. I hope we'll see each other really soon. " He gave everyone a quick hug – Riku's during a bit longer – then he got in the car. He waved at them as it pulled out and moved away. The four boys waited until the vehicle was out of sight, then they entered the building. Riku was pretty down, but he tried his best to hide it. Too bad for him, Roxas noticed it.

" Idiot. You didn't tell him about your feelings, did you, " the blonde asked. The silver-haired teen remained silent. " Really, you're both stupid. " he concluded. Riku frowned, wondering what that could have meant.

------

Meanwhile, Sora was looking out the window as the town's scenery passed by fast. They were lucky the traffic was smooth. They arrived at the airport earlier than expected and it let Vincent enough time to buy their tickets. The brunette looked around him, trying to memorize the place. It was the first time he flew and he didn't want to forget a single thing. What's more, it could be helpful for his future works. A few minutes later, the black-haired man came back and both were ready to board.

" Is it your first time? " the man asked.

" M-my what?! " the brunette exclaimed, a blush creeping on his cheeks. Vincent turned his head to look at him and – surprisingly – he burst out laughing.

" I was talking about you going abroad. " he clarified. " _It's going to be fun to have him around._ " he thought.

" Y-yeah. I feel really nervous. " Sora replied.

" Don't worry. Everything will be fine. You won't have that much time to worry anyway. "

------

The flight wasn't long – it only lasted for an hour or so. Once they arrived at the airport and exited it, the black-haired man was greeted by a hyper girl who was around the brunette's age. She quickly hugged Vincent then looked at Sora.

" Great! So, he accepted! My name's Yuffie! I'm Vincent's little sister. It's nice to meet you! " the girl said, giving the teen a quick hug.

" I'm – "

" Sora, I know. I can't believe I'm actually talking to you! "

" Yuffie, don't cut people off like that. It's rude. " Vincent told her.

" Sorry! " she apologized.

" It's okay. " the brunette replied, smiling at her. " _She's over-doing it. I'm not __**that**__ famous... I don't even think I am at all. _" he thought. The drive to Vincent's house lasted a few hours and Sora was glad when they finally got there… for many reasons.

" And so, that's why shurikens are way better than katanas. " the girl concluded.

" I… I see. " Sora sighed. He completely forgot how everything started, but he knew something for sure: **never** talk about anything ninja-related with Yuffie. You'll only end up with a bad headache.

" We're here. " Vincent told the brunette as he pulled in a big and white house's driveway. Sora barely got out of the vehicle when something fluffy and damn heavy knocked him over on the new mown grass. He opened his eyes and they landed on a huge Alsatian's head.

" Max, get off of him! " Yuffie exclaimed. But the dog only wagged its tail and kept staring at Sora.

" So cute!!! " the teen exclaimed as he sat up. He patted the dog's head, then got up. " You're so lucky! I always wanted a dog but mom never accepted. "

" Well, you'll have this one around you for two months. And I **mean** it. " Vincent said, sighing. " It's not that affectionate with everyone, but the few people who are liked by it regret it most of the time. "

And it couldn't be truer. For the first few weeks, Max followed Sora everywhere. Whenever he went to the bathroom, it would sit in front of the door and wait until the brunette came out. To Vincent and his sister's surprise, the blue-eyed boy didn't seem to mind it at all. He even enjoyed it.

" Fetch, boy! " Sora exclaimed as he tossed a wooden stick. The dog ran in its direction and caught it before it landed. But it seemed like Max didn't know what ' fetch ' meant because he never brought it back, even when the teen ran after it.

" Sora! Dinner's ready! " Yuffie called. The brunette entered the house and walked towards the kitchen where a beautiful woman who had black-braided hair and wore a white dress was setting the table.

" Do you need a hand, Lucrecia? " Sora offered.

" That would be nice of you, Sora. " Lucrecia answered. She was Vincent's wife and, as a consequence, Yuffie's aunt. She was kind and as calm as Vincent, but more talkative. Now, **everyone** could be more talkative than him… The young girl was living with them, her and the writer's parents being dead since two years ago. She still had much difficulties talking about them without bursting into tears, so she barely mentionned them, as Vincent told the brunette. So, being the well mannered kid he was, Sora never asked her about them.

" My, I'm really sorry, Sora. Max's been bothering you since you arrived here. I hope it's not getting too much on your nerves. " the woman apologized.

" Don't worry, it doesn't annoy me at all! Actually, I'm pretty happy that it likes me so much. " the brunette replied and beamed.

" If you say so. " Lucrecia said, laughing softly as the dog nuzzled its head against the teen's hand, already missing his affection.

" Sora! " Vincent exclaimed as he loudly went down the stairs, a big smile plastered on his face. He could be pretty lively at times.

" Honey, don't run in the stairs. You'll fall again. " the woman told her husband.

" I just had a great idea! " the writer said as he followed the teen who was helping Lucrecia. " You know, about Michael! "

" Really? Phew, we'll finally be able to continue the story! He was a real pain. " the boy replied, smiling too.

" You see, I thought about making his girlfriend come back to life and seek revenge with his help. She'd possess him, make him kill his friend and – "

" Woa, wait a minute. " Sora cut him off. " That's not possible. It's not realistic.I mean, Michael wouldn't let her kill his best friend, even if he was the murderer. In real life, that wouldn't happen. "

" Do you think so? " the writer asked.

" Yep. " the brunette replied, nodding his head only once. " Besides, she would hurt him too. He did nothing wrong and… " he trailed off. " That's it! " he exclaimed, clicking his fingers. " He'll be part of the murder too! "

" What? But, in case you forgot, Michael truly loved Jenny. Why would he kill her? "

" He didn't want to. " Sora said, turning around and opening a drawer to take forks and knives. Vincent followed him again, frowning. " We could say something happened between the two friends in the past. Sean never forgot about what Michael did to him and Jenny was his opportunity. He managed to use his best friend's help – without him noticing it – to kill her. And, not being able to rest in peace, she decides to possess her husband to take revenge on Sean and make both of them suffer. She knows Sean killed her and that Micheal helped him. At least, that's what she thinks. " he continued as he headed for the table again.

" I see. " Vincent mumbled, thinking. " Micheal killed his friend's girlfriend and Sean could never forgive that. They – "

" Will you stop talking about such depressing things? " Lucrecia told the two. " You'll talk about work **after** dinner. I'll even let you explain everything to me so that you'll have someone else's opinion. " she offered.

" Admit you're just curious and want to know the rest. " Sora teased her.

" … Maybe. " she admitted, then they all laughed.

" If we keep this pace, we'll be able to finish this book in no time. " Vincent informed the teen.

" You're right. " the brunette replied. He turned his head and looked out the window. It was getting dark and he could see some stars. As he stared at them, he remembered the night he spent with Riku to look at the falling stars. A smile made its appearance as he recalled it and wondered if the silver-haired teen was also looking at the sky at that moment. " _If we keep this pace, we'll be together again soon._ " he thought.

------

A/U: Now, you would really hate me if I told you this was the last chapter, wouldn't you? ; The end would be pretty crappy, then! Lol Don't worry, there are other chapters after this one! avoids the stones thrown at her Many of you seem sad to learn the story will be finished soon. I just can't help it. You know, there's no secrets anymore: we know why Sora left his previous school, he now remembers and likes Riku…. What else could happen? Sora's far away right now, but it's only a matter of time. I'm simply running out of ideas and I'm afraid this story will become really bad if I keep writing too many chapters, and I don't want that to happen. Anyway, thank you for your reviews, once again! And see you soon!


	21. Chapter 21

Disclaimer: Kingdom Heart's characters aren't mine! They're just drawn too well to be mine anyway…

------

" … "

Riku was lazily lying on his bed, completely bored out of his mind. A month had passed since Sora left and, to him, it seemed like a whole year. The letters the brunette sent were scattered on his bed. The papers were getting creased from being read over and over. He was glad when his cellphone rang.

" Hello? " he said.

" Hiya! How're you doing, onion boy? " a cheerful woman exclaimed.

" Mi- Miss Haruno? How come you have my number? " Riku wondered out loud.

" In case you forgot, your mother and I talk to each other frequently. And I was feeling like calling you. " she said, then paused for a moment. " Aren't you too lonely without Sora around? "

" God, I can't take it anymore! I hope he's coming back soon. " the teen admitted.

" Aw, love gives you a hard time sometimes, doesn't it? "

" Hell yeah. " Riku replied. And then, it struck him. " W-wait a minute, how did you – "

" Come on, kid. I've been through this too. It's so obvious you like him! Do you think I didn't see you blush when you saw Sora almost naked? "

" … Was it **that** evident? "

" Ha ha ha ha, of course it was! " she laughed. " If you want, I can send you pictures of naked Sora to you! He's only five on them, though. "

" Er, no thanks. " the teen replied.

" Of course you don't want them. It would be much better to have him undressed right under – I mean, that would be suspicious. " Misaki replied.

" Please, stop that before I… Okay, I'm thinking about it already. Argh, I can't believe **you're** the one who made me have this kind of thoughts. " the teen whined, smacking his head against the wall behind him in an attempt to calm down.

"… Do you have tissues? "

" Miss Haruno!! " Riku angrily told her.

" No, no. Call me Misaki! 'Miss Haruno' makes it look like you're talking to an old woman. " she answered. The teen sighed.

" Say Miss Ha- Misaki… " he trailed off, gulping nervously. " Does my mother know about it? "

" Know about what? "

" Well, about the fact that I like Sora. "

" Yes and, actually, she's taking it pretty well. I think your father does too. It's hard to tell. "

" I guess it is. " Riku replied, smiling softly although she couldn't see it. At least, he had his mother on his side.

" Just be patient, Riku. Sora will come back quickly. I'm sure he's feeling the same. " she comforted the gloomy teen. " If you're feeling lonely, you can ask Roxas to keep you company. Well, if Axel allows it, that is. " she added.

" So, you know about them too. "

" Of course! Cloud's talking about them all the time and Aerith and I always have a hard time to make him understand he should let his brother live a little. Axel's a great kid, by the way. I can tell by the way he's talking about Roxas. He loves him so much I'm almost jealous of them! "

" I understand you so well… " Riku replied. He also wished he could be loved by Sora and hold him whenever he felt like it.

" It's about time I make dinner. Good night, kid! And don't forget to do your homework and to brush your teeth before going to bed! See you! " she said, then hung up without giving Riku the slightest chance to reply.

" How come everyone but Sora noticed how I feel about him… " he mumbled, then grunted. He stared blankly at the ceiling for a long while, then he got up and decided to go for a walk. The streets were crowded and the teen almost panicked at the view. Almost. He walked down the streets, entering some stores and getting out of them withou bying anything. He kept walking and met a group of girls. He got a bad feeling the moment one of them winked at her friends and walked in his direction.

" Hi! Are you by yourself? " she asked, batting her eyelashes.

" No, I'm walking with my invisible friend. " he replied. Really, people asked such stupid questions. Wasn't it obvious he was alone?! The girl seemed a little taken aback by the blunt reply but she was too determined to let him go just like that.

" Okay… " she trailed off, thinking about her next move all the while. " Wanna come with us? " she asked as she pointed at her friends. " It'll be fun! "

" No, thanks. " he politely replied. Now wasn't the time to piss him off. He passed her but was soon stopped as she grabbed his arm.

" Wait, don't tell me you – " she began, smiling seductively at him.

" Don't you see you're annoying me? Just leave me alone and find someone else to glue yourself on. " he snaped as he made her let go of his arm. She stared blankly at his back as he walked away. He entered the closest store to make sure they wouldn't follow him and, since he was there, he decided to take a look. It was just a down right boring stationer's. But something among the shelves caught his eyes. It was a keychain that had a crown's shape. Its design was simple, yet beautiful. The more he looked at it, the more he thought Sora would love it. He bought it, then continued his stroll.

" Hey, Riku! " the teen heard. He turned around as Allan walked in his direction, holding hands with a cute girl.

" Hi, guys. " Riku replied.

" It's surprising to see you here. " the brunette replied. " I never saw you alone in town. "

" Sometimes, I like being alone. "

" Maybe we should leave, then? " Allan asked.

" You're not bothering me at all. " the silver-haired teen replied. " How about hanging out together for a while? " he offered.

" Sounds nice to me. What about you? " the other boy asked his girlfriend, who only nodded as a reply. " You're being shy all of a sudden. Did you forget how to talk? " he teased, grinning.

" I-I'm not shy! " she exclaimed, frowning.

" Okay, you're not. Now, let's go! " Allan stated, and the three headed for a small and quiet café. They sat at a table, next to a window and soon after, a waitress took their order and left to get their drinks.

" It's been about a month now, hasn't it? " Allan asked out of the blue.

" Hm? " Riku replied.

" Since Sora left. "

" Oh, well yeah. " the green-eyed boy quietly answered.

" Did you tell him about your feelings? Or did he tell you something? " the brunette asked, curious. Riku shook his head no. " My, you're hopeless. " Allan added, then sighed.

" Who is – "

" Here are your drinks! " the waitress said, as she put glasses and a mug on the table. " Let me know if you need something else. " she said, then left.

" Did Sora send you letters by any chance? " the brown-eyed teen asked.

" Yes. Why do you ask? " Riku questionned.

" I can't believe it. I didn't get any! " the other exclaimed and pouted.

" He's busy and he barely had time to send some to me. They're all pretty short. "

" He could at least send a text message… " Allan insisted.

" He's abroad. He can't. "

" Touché. " the girl replied instead of her lover. " Now, could we talk about something else? Even if he's a nice guy – from what Selphie told me – I don't fancy hearing you talking about your ex-boyfriend that much, you know. " she said, frowning a little as she cast a glance to the brunette.

" You're right, sorry. " he apologized, then gave her a quick peck on her lips.

------

One hour later, Riku left the couple and went back to the dorms slowly. " _What now? I just can't spend the rest of the month lying on my bed and staring at the ceiling! I __**have**__ to find something to do!_ " the teen thought.

" Kyaaaaaaah! Look, it's Vincent! " a girl yelled, her friends gathering around her. Riku lifted his head up and was disappointed when he noticed she was pointing at a TV screen in a store's window. He still approached to take a look.

" As all Vincent Valentine's fans know, these days' most popular writer is currently co-writing a new novel with Pete's contest's winner of the year, Haruno Sora. " the presenter said. Riku's heart began to beat faster. They were talking about Sora! " And for their first collaboration, the two men – already called 'The brillian duo' – decided to make it big by holding a contest. " The woman turned around to look at Vincent who was sitting in a comfy chair right behind her, Sora sitting next to him. Green eyes widened.

" Vincent! It's Vincent! He's so hot! " the same girl almost shrieked.

" That boy beside him is quite attractive too! " another one said.

" Good evening, Vincent, Sora! Could you talk about your on-going work? " the presenter asked the boys.

" Well, as most of my other books, this novel will deal about supernatural events happening to common characters. " Vincent explained.

" You're mysterious, as usual. " the woman commented and smiled at the man who smiled back. " Well, what about you, Sora? What part did you play during the book's writing? "

" Erm, I-I was mostly in charge of helping Vincent to describe the character's feelings and their way of thinking. I also helped with the plot. "

" Let's say each of us found half of it. " the man added.

" I see. " the woman told Vincent, then looked at the brunette again who shifted nervously in his seat.

" Isn't he cute? Look at him, he's being all shy! " a girl next to Riku commented.

" _He's cuter when he's right before you._ " the silver-haired boy thought. And he felt proud, being sure all those girls would be damn jealous of him if they knew he was sharing a room with him.

" Hey, look at that! Sora's on TV! " a familiar voice exclaimed. " Hey, Riku! " The green-eyed boy glanced behind him.

" Hey, Axel, Roxas! " he greeted back. He couldn't help the grin that was plastered on his face as he felt the stares the girls were giving them.

" So, Sora, your story published by Pete's won the hearts of many people. How does it feel to know many persons liked your work? " the presenter asked.

" Well, I'm glad… Er – " he trailed off, thinking about what he could say. " To tell you the truth, I didn't think I'd ever win. I read the four other stories the jury selected and I found them pretty good. I'm still not sure why I was chosen, but I'm happy there are people who are interested in what I write. It makes me want to write more stories. I want to help people to forget about their worries and escape their daily life for a while, just like when I read books. Anyway, everything wouldn't have ever happened if my friends didn't encourage me to enter the contest. I'm highly thankful to them. " Sora said.

" Why, you're welcome. " Axel commented, grinning at the two boys who smiled back.

" People tend to say you described Tim's – your main character – feelings so well it almost seems like the same thing happened to you. Could you explain to our viewers how you can do such a thing? " the woman asked Sora. The three boys gulped loudly.

" That's what happens when one reads my books, I guess. " Vincent replied instead of the brunette.

" Oh, Sora's also one of your readers? What a coincidence! " the woman exclaimed.

" Sure is. " the black-haired man replied, smiling at the brunette who beamed at him.

" How can he be soooooo cute?! " a girl exclaimed, blushing as she stared at the blue-eyed boy on the screen.

" Now, could you talk about the contest you're holding? " the presenter asked the boys.

" I'll let Sora explain it, it was his idea after all. And I'm too lazy right now. " Vincent replied. The brunette laughed a little.

" Well, we're searching for an artist who could draw the novel's cover picture. You can send your work to us – only one per person. Don't forget to give it a title as we'll need it later to contact the winner. Don't write **anything** else. Since Vincent knows many artists, we don't want the other competitors to think we advantaged them. " the brunette explained. " The subject has to be 'supernatural events' and you can not draw beasts or such, as there aren't any of them in the story. Oh, and the contest's due November the tenth! It doesn't give you that much time, but I'm sure you'll be able to do it. Good luck everyone! "

" Thank you both very much for your – " the presenter began, then continued with other news.

" Let's go. " Riku offered and the boys began to walk away.

" Wait a minue, please! " a girl called. They turned around. " Do you guys know Sora? "

" _Oh, she's already being familiar…_" Riku thought.

" Of course we know him. " Axel replied. " We're the friends he talked about. " This guy should learn to shut his big mouth…

" Heh? Really? Does he live around here? Do you think we could meet him? " she pressed.

" Okay guys… " Roxas whispered. " Run at three. One, two… three!! " And the boys ran… in different directions. " Dumbasses, don't separate!!! " the blonde angrily exclaimed as he quickly ran after his lover.

A while later, they all got back to the dorms. Fortunately, those girls weren't the running type and they lost them easily. Riku litteraly fell on his bed, completely exhausted. Something pressed against his thigh and he took it out of his pocket. It was the keychain he bought for Sora. And as he stared at it, something came to his mind.

" That's it. " he said out loud. " I'll draw something and send it to them. That would be great if I was chosen to be their cover's illustrator! " He didn't have that much time, so he had to be quick!

------

Well, things don't always go as planned and Riku knew it perfectly well.

" Shit, I can't take it anymore! Why won't it look right?! " he exclaimed as he ripped his tenth drawing. It seemed like none of the pictures he drew where good and it annoyed him. He tried all week but to no avail. " There are only three weeks left and I'm still unable to come up with a good idea. What should I do? " he wondered as he nibbled his thumbnail. He closed his eyes, sat on the floor and took a deep breath. " Okay, calm down. Being angry doesn't solve anything and makes my art crappy. Think about something supernatural and scary. Hm, what are Vincent Valentine's books about anyway? " He opened his eyes and looked at Sora's bookcase. Luckily, his books were still there! Riku arose to his feet and took some of the black-haired man's books and read their summaries. It seemed like every time, the characters were afraid of something they couldn't see. An image came to Riku's mind and he quickly caught a pen and drew something on a paper. A few minutes later, his sketch was done.

" Now, that's **way** better. " he proudly said. He drew a man curled up into a ball on the floor, his hands clutching on locks of hair violently as if to wake up from a nightmare. The man was in his bedroom and the ghost of a woman was floating in the corner of the room and she was smiling at the one who was probably her lover. That was supernatural and creepy. Well, it would be once finished. Riku took a stiff sheet of paper and quickly covered it with gouache. Now, the real work could begin!

------

The sun was setting and Riku grunted as he took a look at his painting. All he did was the man's body and the bed. It was going to take some time… But he would **definitely** finish it on time! The teen's stomach rumbled and he looked at the clock.

" It's already dinner time! " he exclaimed as he rushed out of the room. There weren't that many people in the cafeteria. The only ones there were Zexion and his group of friends. Deciding he didn't want to eat alone, Riku sat at their table.

" What were you doing? " Zexion asked his brother as he sat down.

" You've got paint all over your face – and shirt. " Larxene informed the teen.

" Well, duh! " the teen replied before he began to eat. " I'm currently working on a project. "

" Is it for school? " Xaldin asked.

" No, it's for a contest. " Riku replied.

" A contest? " Zexion asked, curious.

" Yeah, it's for a book's cover. "

" Sounds nice! Where do you have to send it? " Xigbar asked. Riku looked at him, blinking. Why did he ask **that** question?

" Now that you talk about that… " the teen began. " I have no idea about the address where it should be sent… " he added, panicking.

" You're really dumb. " Larxene told him.

" For which book is it? Maybe we could find the address in the newspaper. " Xaldin offered.

" It's for Vincent Valentine's newest book, the one he's writing with Sora. " Riku explained. Grins spread on everyone's faces.

" Now, do you really think Sora will choose your picture? " Marluxia teased.

" He wouldn't know if he did, we can't write our names on our works. "

" I think I read something about that contest. " Xaldin informed the teen. " I'll take a look at the article and write down the address for you. "

" Thanks a lot! " the silver-haired teen exclaimed. As soon as he finished eating his dinner, he got rid of his tray and got back to his room where he continued his painting. Roxas and Axel came over frequently during the next weeks to check on its progress and sometimes, they gave advices to their friend, though they weren't artists themselves – as they said. But like Riku had put it, other people's opinions are precious and helpful. That's how, two weeks later, the painting was finished.

" Woa, you did an awesome job! " Roxas exclaimed, staring at the picture.

" Are the bedsheets drenched in blood or are they originally red? " Axel asked, which made the silver-haired boy grin.

" I'll leave that up to the viewers' imagination. "

" Well, all that's left is to send it now. " the blonde added. " I hope it'll be chosen! "

" So do I. " Riku said.

" Let's send it now! " Axel offered.

" Okay, just give me a few seconds so that I can find something to protect it. " Once Riku was ready, the three headed for the town's post. It only took them a few minutes to go there and send the painting, thus they decided to celebrate for the completion of Riku's project.

" I'm sooo glad it's finished! It was beginning to drive me crazy, I tell you. " the green-eyed teen admitted. " Two days longer and I would have burnt it, then danced on its dust! "

" Hopefully, you managed to do it quickly. " the red head said, laughing nervously.

" I wonder how Sora will react when he sees it. " Roxas wondered.

" He'll just freak out, and that emo-looking guy will love it. " Axel replied.

" Vincent's not emo. Didn't you see the warm smile he gave Sora? " the blonde asked.

" Sure I saw it! And if you want my opinion, there could be something going on between those two. " the red-haired boy answered.

" What? " Riku asked, arching an eyebrow. " That can't be. I heard Vincent's married. "

" Tch, you're so naive. " Axel told him.

" … " Riku frowned.

" It's not unusual to hear about celebrities cheating on their lovers. That would just be another one of them. "

" Sora wouldn't let that happen, bonehead. " Roxas told the other, noticing how worried his friend was. There were still – at most – two weeks left before the brunette came back and there was no need for the other to worry until then.

" But he's one of his fans, and we all know how fans dream about having a relationship with their idol, even if only for one night. " Axel stated, nodding at the same time as if to show the others that it was a **fact**.

" Stop that, already. " the blue-eyed teen ordered. " Sora wouldn't do that, I just know it. Period. " He glanced at Riku who was still frowning. " Don't worry, Riku. I'm sure there's nothing between them. " He paused for a few seconds, then added: " Now, that's a good lesson, don't you think? "

" Hm? Why do you say that? " Riku asked.

" Well, once more, there might be someone who is trying to seduce my cousin. I'm not talking about that writer but about all those people Sora meets. If you keep on hidding your feelings, someone will steal him **for good**. I just hope it's not already too late. " the blonde said.

" … " the silver-haired teen said nothing and he seemed lost in his thoughts for a moment.

" Why don't you tell him everyhting? " Axel asked.

" I can't. " Riku replied. " He'd either think I made it up or be angry because I didn't tell him anything earlier. "

" He won't. Trust me, if you explain all the things you both experienced, something good will come from it. " Roxas assured him. Riku nodded in agreement. " And there's no turning back or running away, got it? "

" Yeah, got it memorized? " Axel added, grinning. Roxas rolled his eyes, then burst out laughing along with his silver-haired friend. Riku kept thinking about Roxas' advice and he knew he had to tell everything to Sora, from the memories he lost to the feelings he still had for the brunette. The most difficult part – at least, **one** of the most difficult parts – was to find the right words. When he thought about it that evening, he almost got a migraine, so he just dropped it.

------

" I'll let you have the honor of typing the final point. "

" Really? Okay, here I go! "

As Sora put an end to the story Vincent and him spent months to write, both laughed loudly and quickly hugged each other.

" I can't believe we actually finished it! I'm so happy!! " the brunette exclaimed.

" Hell, yeah. " Vincent replied, breaking the hug. " I say we should celebrate that! "

" But before that… " Sora began, then he pointed at something behind him with his thumb. " We should look at the pictures people sent us and make our choice. It'll only take a minute. "

" … " the man pouted, then sighed. " Okay, let's end it for good. " They looked at the few pictures they received. There were only a dozen, but as Sora said it on TV, they didn't have that much time. In the end, they hesitated between two pictures: one with a headless man sitting on a chair and holding his head in his hands, and the other was about a woman falling in an endless…. something.

" Which one do we keep? " Vincent asked.

" Well… " Sora took another look at both paintings. " This one would fit a horror book perfectly. " he said, pointing at the headless man. " Since that's not what we wrote, I say we choose the other one. "

" Agreed. " the man simply replied, then put the picture on his desk. The others were put in a dustbin. Sora eyed them sadly. " What, did you want to keep them? " Vincent asked him.

" Er, no. " the teen simply replied, shrugging. They went down the stairs and were greeted by Lucrecia and Yuffie.

" Did you guys completed it? " Yuffie asked, beaming at them.

" We could hear you screaming from the kitchen. " Lucrecia added, frowning a little.

" Sorry. " Sora said, smiling sheepishly and rubbing the back of his head. " Max! " he cheerfully exclaimed as the dog nuzzled its head against his hand. He squatted next to it and patted its back.

" So, that means we're going out tonight!! " the younger girl exclaimed. " Where are we going this time? "

" I dunno… " Vincent trailed off. " Got any idea? " he asked Lucrecia.

" Last time, we went to that amazing restaurant. Maybe we could go there again? " the woman offered.

" No.Way. " Yuffie stated. " That was so boring! Let's go somewhere else, please! "

" Hmm… " Everyone thought for a moment.

" I know! " Lucrecia suddenly exclaimed. " I heard Reno's bar is holding a party tonight! I don't know what its theme is though. "

" Yeah, let's go there! Reno's parties are nice! " the girl cheerfully said.

" It's decided, then! " the man stated. " Let's get changed first! "

" Come on, Sora! I'll help you pick your clothes! " Yuffie told the brunette as she pulled him towards his bedroom. She closed the door behind her, then turned towards him, an evil grin plastered on her face.

" Yuffie, what are you – " Sora nervously said, but he was cut off.

" Take them off! " the girl exclaimed as she caught the poor boy's shirt and took it off. She was trying to unbutton his trousers when Sora's hands stopped her.

" Stop that already! I can change myself! " he exclaimed, pouting at her. She blinked a few times.

" Wow, you're not even blushing! Am I **that** unattractive? " she asked.

" It's not that. Now, let me – "

" What is it, then? " she pressed. This time, Sora's face turned a deep red. " Oh! " she said, putting a hand before her lips.

" Please, don't tell anyone! " the brunette panicked. " I don't want them to – "

" I knew it. " she cut him off again. " When Tifa came, her huge boobs had no effects on you. She was so depressed. She's proud of them. I only told her you were probably gay to comfort her, but I didn't think I was right! " she explained, then grinned. " Rest assured, I won't tell anyone. But my bro's pretty open-minded, so he wouldn't mind, you know. Anyway, let's get dressed! " she exclaimed, then searched through the brunette's closet.

------

Reno's bar was pretty wide and nice. It wasn't that dark in it since there were many lights, but not too much so that people wouldn't go blind when entering. A tall man with red hair came to Vincent's group as they made their entrance.

" Hey, Vincent! Long time no see! " the man said, patting his black-haired friend's shoulder.

" Hey, Reno. " Vincent casually replied.

" Heh?! You know each other! " Yuffie exclaimed, quite surprised. " You never told me that! " she added as she looked at his brother.

" You never asked. " he replied. She huffed and crossed her arms to her chest.

" Buddy there comes each time he finishes one of his books. " the red-haired man said, pointing at Vincent with his thumb. " Besides, we know each other since elementary school. " He grinned at Yuffie, then he turned to Lucrecia. " Dear Lucrecia, you look as beautiful as always. " he complimented the woman, then kissed her on the back of her hand.

" That is so cliché. " she told him, holding back a laugh at his puzzled expression.

" Well, I was just trying to be a gentleman, and here you go and say such a cruel thing! " he whined, putting a hand on his chest, which made Sora laugh a lot. Reno turned his head to look at him. " Oh, look at this cute kid! Who is he? " he asked, making Sora blush like mad.

" Haruno Sora. I told you about him before I left. " Vincent replied.

" Oh yeah, **that** kid! I take it he accepted and that you're both finished writing your book then? " Reno asked. Vincent nodded. " Well, congratulations! " he exclaimed, hugging Sora.

" Erm, thanks. " the teen whispered, his face still a deep red. He looked quickly at Vincent and noticed he was laughing.

" Hey, Vincent! That kid's just my type! Can I borrow him for the night? " Reno casually asked. Sora gasped. What was he saying?!

" Sure. Just don't go too far. " the black-haired man replied, then he walked towards a table in the back of the club while the brunette was still traped in the red head's arms. He shifted to show the other he wasn't comfortable with the situation.

" Oh ho, trying to resist me? " Reno teased him. He let go of the teen and smiled at him. " Don't worry, I just want to tease you for a bit! Nothing bad, promise! " he added, then motionned for him to join Vincent, which he gladly did. He stomped loudly in the table's direction, glaring at the writer all the while.

" Vincent! What does that mean?!! " he angrily exclaimed. Lucrecia couldn't help but laugh, along with Yuffie.

" Come on, he won't hurt you. He's just playing with you, nothing more. " Vincent calmly replied, not noticing the grin Reno had as he stared at the innocent brunette.

------

A/N:

Sora: Riku, what are you doing?

Riku: It's Becca's computer! I'm trying to find something nasty so that we can blackmail her!

Sora: But why would we do that?

Riku: Sora, we **never** know what that crazy shrimp could do to us! Wanna take a look with me?

A few hours later

Riku: I can't believe it! There's nothing! The worst things in that are links to M-rated fanfictions! She's soooooo boring.

Becca: Why, thank you, honey!

Sora: Oh no, she knows!! panicking

Riku: Since when were you here?!

Becca: Stupid, I'm the one who made you do and say everything! Of course I knew you'd look into my computer. Now, if you want to see naughty things, I'll gladly help you! wink

Sora and Riku:…. You're insane.

------

Yay, another cliffie! I know you don't like them, but I need to make this story interesting! (at least, that's what I try to do) …..Well, I don't know what I could say. So, I'll end this note by saying thank you so very much for your support! See you soon!


	22. Chapter 22

**Disclaimer**: Kingdom Hearts characters are hot – I mean Xaldin's cool and – er, no, that isn't that either. Ah, that's right! Kingdom Hearts characters are Square-enix's property!

Xaldin: You really think I'm cool?

Becca: I loooooooooove your hairstyle! XD Oh, and I apologize to all the postmen who read that! I don't agree with him, so don't get mad. dodges the rocks people throw at her

Edit: Okay! I finally changed the ending! I don't know if it's better than before but at least, it seems more like one! (in my opinion)

------

" Finally. " Sora was back in his bedroom, in Vincent's house. He fell on his bed, his face nuzzled in the soft pillows. The evening has been quite exhausting with Reno who kept teasing Sora all night. But the brunette couldn't really complain about it as he never tried to do anything that could have hurt him. The worst thing he ever did was to try to grope him. **Try**. The blue-eyed boy sighed as he relaxed and slowly fell asleep, until he heard someone enter his bedroom and sit next to him. He lifted his head and looked at Yuffie.

" What's going on? " he quietly asked, still feeling sleepy. To his surprise, Yuffie took him in her arms for a tight embrace and nuzzled her face in Sora's shoulder. " Oh my gosh, are you **crying**?! " he squeaked, not knowing what to do to help her.

" No, idiot. " she snapped, her voice sounding pretty calm. " Just shut up and don't move. "

" Er, okay… " he answered. He did what he was told and waited until she let go of him.

" Bro' said he'll drive you to the airport tomorrow at fifteen. "

" Oh, that's right! We talked about it earlier and he wasn't sure about the hour. Ugh, I have to pack everything. It'll take sometime. "

" I'll help. This way, we'll be together a bit longer… "

" Yuffie, could it be you – "

" That stupid dog will probably miss you. No one ever care to play with it. Oh well, I guess I'll make an effort. " she interrupted him, shrugging. Sora smiled. She may be small, but Yuffie was tough. Really tough. He wished he could become like her someday. Emotionally-wise, that is. Even when she wanted to cry, she seemed cool and happy. With time, he learned that she didn't want others to worry about her.

" _If only I had been like that when it happened…_" he thought, slightly frowning. Thanks to the room being quite dark, the other teen didn't notice it. Yuffie got up and said 'good night' as she exited the room. Max managed to enter before she closed the door, and without her noticing. Sora thought this only happened in movies….. " Hey, Max. " he quietly said as the dog jumped on the bed and lied next to him. Sora patted its head, then lied on his back, staring at the ceiling. " _I'm finally going back home. I'll miss them a lot, but I missed my family too much to say I'm sad to leave. I wonder how Roxas will react when he sees me. And Riku…_" Sora couldn't help but giggle like a girl when he thought about it. A few minutes later, he fell asleep without realizing it.

------

" Come on, Riku. Cheer up! At least, you can show it to him when he gets back. " Roxas said, the day before Sora came back. He was at the cafeteria with his boyfriend and his depressed friend.

" Yeah, you'll get plenty chances later! " Axel tried.

" But I don't want other chances! **This one** was the one I truly cared about! But thanks to those stupid postmen, it screwed up! " Riku yelled angrily. He was surprised to receive a big letter that day, but when he opened it, he paled as he noticed it was his own picture he sent for Sora and Vincent's contest. A small note on the envelope said that the address wasn't valid, thus was returned to its sender. " I'm sure it's the right one! "

" It probably got lost and they didn't want to bother with it. " the red head commented.

" Whatever. " the silver-haired teen grunted, crossing his arms to his chest.

" Now, try to eat something at least. You barely came here while you drew this, let alone sleep. You'll collapse, and I don't think Sora would like that. " Axel told Riku.

" Yeah, I certainly don't want him to go berserk on us. " Roxas said, then shuddered.

" Now, that shrimp wouldn't even make me have a single bruise. I'd protect you. " the red head said, kissing his lover's forehead.

" You don't know how he can be when he's angry. " Riku said, almost sweating as he remembered the time he saw the brunette beating some random guys in front of the dormitory's entrance.

" You see that scar on my hip? " Roxas asked Axel.

" That little thing I love to – Wait, that was **him**?! " the red-haired boy exclaimed. " Heh, that's scary… But I should thank him. " he added, then grinned.

" I **do not** want to know about it. " Riku said, noticing Roxas' sudden blush. He couldn't help but think about Sora at that very moment. Both looked a lot alike when they blushed. " I hope he's coming back soon. " he whined, then rested his head on the table.

" You scare me, Riku. " Axel said. " You were angry a few minutes earlier, and now you're all gloomy? Don't tell me you have periods?! "

" Shut up, stupid! " Roxas said, punching him playfully in the shoulder. " The contest's over since five days ago, he should be back pretty soon now. " he assured the other. He didn't know how true that was.

------

" Well, that's where we part, then. Are you sure you'll be alright by yourself? I can go with you, if you want. " Vincent asked.

" I'll be okay, don't worry. My father's picking me up at the airport, so you don't have to worry. It's only a one hour flight anyway. " the brunette replied, shrugging.

" Take care, Sora. " Lucrecia told the teen as she hugged him. " You can come back whenever you want. You'll always be welcome. "

" Thanks. " the blue-eyed teen replied, hugging her back.

" I'm the one who should be thanking you, boy. " the black-haired man said. " I'm glad I could write that book with you. By the way, it'll be published in about two months from what my editor told me. "

" Okay. Cloud will be glad to know. " Sora said, beaming. " It's nearly time, I should go." he added, looking at his wristwatch. " Well, once again, thank you very much for your help. Thanks for everything. Oh, and tell Yuffie I was glad to meet her, and also that I'm sorry I made Tifa sad. " Vincent and Lucrecia eyed the teen suspiciously. " She'll understand. Then, goodbye. " he said, then left them. Once in the plane, he took his book out of his backpack and read it during the flight. But he ended up finding himself checking his watch too much often to even register what he just read. So, he gave up and sighed. " _There's only thirty minutes left, it should pass pretty fast._ " he thought. After what seemed like eternity, he looked at his watch again. " _Shit, it's been one minute since I last checked it!_ " He shifted in his seat and whined quietly. That was going to be long.

Meanwhile, Misaki and Hiro were driving to the airport.

" I told you we wouldn't make it in time! " Misaki told her husband, sounding quite irritated. " He'll panic if we aren't there when he arrives! "

" Calm down, will you? He would have come back home by train if that Vincent guy didn't call us yesterday. Besides, he has his cellphone, he can call us. " Hiro replied, sighing.

" Still, he informed us a littl late, don't you think? What if we had to work today and couldn't pick him up? " she insisted.

" As I told you… Oh, never mind. " Hiro replied. His wife was worried and, as a consequence, **annoying**. There was no point in trying to reason her. A few minutes later, they were at the airport and Misaki was surprised to notice they weren't that late. In fact, they'll have to wait until their son's flight arrived. To her husband's disbelief, she bought herself coffee from a vending machine. "_Tch, like she needs that…_ " he thought. They sat on chairs in the waiting room, among many other people.

" Hey, look at that kid, honey! " the woman suddenly said. " Doesn't he remind you of Sora? " There was a child who kept pulling away from his mother, who was desperately trying to kiss him on the cheek. " Poor girl, I know what's it like. " she added, shaking her head.

" Ah, I remember now. " Hiro said, smiling. " He kept doing that too. It took us some time to understand why. "

" Yeah, you're right. " Misaki replied, smiling softly. " I still can't believe he told me that. ' Girls don't kiss boys, it works the other way round. ' I wonder where he heard that…. "

" Hm, yes. " his husband replied, laughing nervously. " _Who would have thought he'd take what I told him so seriously? _" he thought.

" I wonder what he looks like now. I'm sure he has changed. " Misaki told her husband.

" Hey, he went abroad for two months, not two years… He'll still be the same, you'll see. " As if to prove his point, Sora approached them quickly but fell flat on his face, tripping on a lost bag.

" What the hell?! Who's the stupid – " he cursed as his parents walked towards him.

" See? " Hiro asked his wife, who laughed loudly.

" My baby, you're back!! " she exclaimed and hugged him tightly. " I'm so happy!! "

" Okay, just don't kill me, please! I'm too young to die. " Sora said with much difficulty. Once his mother broke the deadly hug, he looked at his parents, beaming. " I'm back! " he exclaimed.

" Welcome home. " Misaki and Hiro said at the same time.

------

The little family drove to their house, chatting happily during the drive. Sora was glad to be back home. He stood before his house for a moment, looking at it like it was the first time he got there.

" What is it, son? " Hiro asked him. Sora kept staring for a few seconds, then shook his head.

" Say, dad, how come people only realize how they care for something only when they lose it? " he asked, turning his head to look at his father. Hiro frowned slightly, thinking.

" Well… " he trailed off. He averted his gaze for a moment, looking at his wife. A smile appeared on his peaceful face. " People usually don't realize how lucky they are until something bad happens to them. How do I say it? It's only when you lose something that you notice you actually had it. " His son frowned, clearly confused.

" Like… when you lose a toy or a pen? " Sora asked, frowning more. " I don't think so… " he answered himself. Hiro smiled at him before saying:

" You'll understand someday. Maybe you already know the answer, you just didn't think about it yet. " He then entered the house, leaving the teen alone and completely confused.

" Yeah, right. " he huffed, then followed his parents inside. He stayed for about an hour with them, waiting for Zexion to pick him up and drive him to the dormitory. They had asked Cloud to come, but he was going on a date with Aerith and couldn't come. Thus, he told them Zexion would come instead of him and pick him at eight. Eventually, the young man arrived and hugged Sora quickly, to the teen's surprise.

" Welcome back, Sora. " Zexion told him, breaking the hug.

" Er, thanks. " the spiky-haired boy replied hesitantly. He turned around to face his parents. " Well, I'm going, then. See you soon! " he beamed, then took his luggage.

" Wait, Sora! " Misaki exclaimed. " I almost forgot! " She wrote a note and put it in a pack of tissues, giggling all the while. " Give that to onion boy, please! Tell him it's from me. He'll understand. "

" Onion boy? " the brown-haired teen asked, tilting his head to the side.

" Riku. " Zexion replied instead of Misaki. Sora frowned but didn't ask anything else. He had a feeling it was better that way. He followed Zexion and got in the car. They pulled away and left.

" So, how are you feeling? Aren't you too sad to be back? " the blue-haired man asked.

" Not at all. That was great, but I missed everything here. " Sora truthfully answered. " I missed you guys a lot! " he added.

" At least, it was calm for two months. I guess we can't ask for too much. " Zexion teased him.

" What was **that** supposed to mean? " Sora asked, pouting. A while later, the young man pullet into the dormitory's parking lot. They both got out of the vehicle and took the teen's bags, then they headed for his room.

" _My heart is beating so fast! How come? _" the teen thought. His knees were shaking so much that he was barely able to walk straight.

" You're walking strangely. Are you okay? " Zexion asked, concerned but also a little amused.

" Y-yeah, I'm just feeling a little nervous… I guess? " the brunette replied. He took his keys out of his bag and unlocked the door. He opened it slowly and peered inside. The lights were out and no one was there. He searched for the light switch, then pushed it down. He was surprised to see that the room hadn't changed a bit since his departure. Again, he wasn't gone for that long…. " Riku's not here? " he asked aloud.

" He's probably eating at the cafet- " he began but was interrupted by noises in the corridor. He frowned, then exited the room. " What do you think you are do- Woa! " he exclaimed, moving to the side as big guys carried Riku in the room and put him on one of the beds. Sora paled.

" What happened?! " the brunette exclaimed, running to his friend's side. " _He's not even conscious…_ " he thought, then felt panic taking over him.

" That dumbass! I told him to be careful, but no, Mister I-know-everything-better-than-you didn't want to eat **anything **for this past few days! I'm so going to kick his sorry a – " Sora heard a familiar voice shout in the corridor. That same person entered the room, glaring at the unconscious boy, then his gaze landed on Sora.

" Roxas! "

" Sora! " The teens hugged each other quickly before the brunette pulled away.

" Roxas, what happened?! Why is Riku… " he trailed off, his throat suddenly sore. " _Okay, I __**won't**__ cry until I know what's going on…No, I won't cry __**at all**__! I'm a boy, dammit!!_ " he thought, kicking himself mentally.

" It's nothing that bad, actually. " the blonde answered. " Many things happened and he couldn't eat properly because of them. We tried to convince him, but you know how stubborn that guy can be. " Roxas shrugged, and glanced at his friend. " Axel's gone to catch some soup. He should be able to eat that easily. That will do for now. " Roxas looked at his cousin, suddenly grinning. " He'll be fine in no time, now. "

" What do you – " Sora began, but was cut off by Axel's arrival.

" I've got the soup!! Were do I put that?! It's frickin' hot!!! " he whined, then put the bowl on the bedside table. " Phew, that was close. " he concluded. He turned around and saw his lover's cousin. " Hey, you're back! Welcome back, shrimp! "

" It's been a loooooooong time since I last heard that… " the brunette sarcastically answered.

" Okay, I think we should leave them, now. Riku needs peace. " Zexion told everyone and motioned for them to get out. " We'll see you tomorrow, Sora. "

" Yeah, good night everyone. " the teen replied. Once all the people were gone, he dragged a chair towards his bed – where Riku was currently lying – and sat. He pushed strands of hair from his friend's face and stared at his peaceful face. " _I didn't think I'd miss that face of his so much…_" He blinked a few times, suddenly realizing what he just thought. " _I-I mean __**him**__. I didn't think I'd miss him that much._ " He blushed like mad. "_ Like that was better…_ " He sighed miserably, and noticed the silver-haired teen's fingers moving a little. " _Gosh, he's waking up!! What should I do?!! _" he panicked. Riku blinked a few times, then opened his eyes slowly. He turned his head and stared at Sora.

" Shit, no that again. " Riku mumbled.

" _Well, I'm pleased to see you again, too…_ " Sora thought, frowning.

" I'm having that dream again. I can't take it any more! " Riku turned to lay on his stomach and buried his face in the pillow.

" Dream? What dream? " the brunette asked, laughing softly.

" I've been dreaming that you – no – that Sora's back. But you're one of those dreams again. I know it. " Greens orbs stared at blue ones for a moment. " Right? " Sora leaned forward, his hands resting on the other's sides. Riku gulped loudly. " _This __**has**__ to be a dream._" The green-eyed boy thought, wishing it could be real at the same time. " Ouch!! " he suddenly exclaimed. " What was that for?!! " he added, rubbing his arm where it just got pinched.

" Now, you're sure you're not dreaming. " the brunette cheerfully told his friend. Riku blinked a few times.

" Soraaaaaaaa! You're baaaaaack!!! " the other exclaimed, throwing his arms around the smaller boy's neck and making both of them fall on the ground. The silver-haired teen nuzzled his face in the other's shoulder, not minding their current position. And Sora didn't mind either. He hugged him back, resting his hands on his back and burying his face in Riku's firm chest.

" _Yeah, that's what I missed the most…_ " Sora thought, smiling. " Riku, you bad boy! You didn't eat properly! " he firmly stated. " You should be careful, you know! Now, let's get up and make you eat the soup Axel kindly brought for you. "

" No. I want to stay like this for a while. " the other replied, hugging him tighter.

" Okay, okay! Don't hug me like that, you'll break something! " the brunette exclaimed as he felt something cracking in his back. After a few minutes, Riku eventually let go of him and sat up. Sora imitated him and lifted his head slightly, hoping he wasn't blushing too much. He jumped a little when he noticed Riku's stare. It was so….intense.

" _Should I tell him now?_ " Riku thought. " _Hell yeah, I should! I've been thinking about it for two weeks, to the point of collapsing. Ah, he's looking at me with those questioning eyes again. I like them a lot. The poor guy's probably wondering what I'm thinking about. If only he knew… Heh, he'll know soon enough!_ "

" _Those eyes…_ " Sora thought, while Riku kept staring at him. " _I remember he used to look at me like that back then. I wish he'd do that more often now…It could come true if I tell him what's on my mind. But, what would he think about it? I've been gone for two months after all. Maybe he's not attracted to me that much any more…Yet again, those eyes make me think otherwise. _" The brunette was so lost in his thoughts that he didn't notice his friend scooting closer to him. He blinked at few times, realizing the sudden closeness. He closed his eyes, waiting for the other to kiss him, which never happened.

"I'm glad you're here again. " Riku stated as he got up, not noticing the pout on his friend's face. " How was it there? Did you have fun? "

" Huh? " Sora asked, tilting his head to the side, until it struck him. " Oh, at Vincent's, you mean? Well, it was great! He and his family were really kind to me, especially Max. "

" Max? " the green-eyed boy asked, turning to face Sora as he frowned. " Who's Max? "

" Their dog. " the brunette replied, holding back from laughing. Riku could be so jealous!

" Oh, yeah. Well, I figured it would be something like that. " he lied, coughing nervously. " _Coward, just tell him what you truly want to say!!!_ " he yelled inside. But that stupid thing called a mouth wouldn't let him. The brunette yawned loudly, and headed towards his closet, until he realized everything was still in his luggage. Cursing under his breath, he searched through his bags to find his pyjamas. He noticed a small pack of tissues and snapped his fingers.

" That's right! Mom gave this for you. She said you'd understand. " the smaller boy said, throwing the object to his friend, who caught it firmly. Riku gulped loudly, eyeing it.

" _I have a bad feeling about this…_ " he thought. He felt something thick in the pack, and opened it to notice it was a small note. He read it.

_Hey, Onion boy!_

_I'm giving this to you, in case you'd have one of those "problems" again! XD But now that Sora's back, I guess he'll take care of them for you! _

_Love, Misaki._

" That… " the older teen mumbled. Sora looked at him and noticed his trembling hands.

" Riku, what is – "

" That is too much!!! " he yelled, then ran in the bathroom. He only came out about half an hour later.

------

The lessons were down right boring. Sora wasn't used to them any more. After spending two months in a huge house doing nothing but think about an interesting plot with your favourite author, school was…. Well, something else. Even Literature class wasn't that interesting. So, when the bell indicated the end of the morning lessons, Sora heaved a sigh of relief, and made his way towards the door. But Cloud caught him by the wrist, asking him to wait for a minute. Once the pupils left, he turned to face his cousin, smiling smugly.

" So, how was it with master Vincent? " Cloud asked.

" 'Master'? What was that, you freak! " Sora teased.

" Aw, come on! I want to know everything! " the blonde pressed, biting his lower lip.

" Well, he's a nice guy. So is his family. I had a great time there. "

" And about the book? What's it about? When will it be released? "

" We finished it, it'll be released in two months, and I'm not telling you anything else. "

" Tch, you're no fun. " the man huffed, then turned his head to the side.

" Thanks. Now, I'd like to grab something to eat, if you don't mind. See you! " Sora told his cousin, then ran out of the room.

" Hey, Sora! " Roxas called from the other end of the corridor. Sora turned his head to face him.

" Hey, Axel! " the teen greeted the other, who nodded in acknowledgement.

" There are no classes this afternoon! It looks like the teachers have an urgent meeting or something. How about eating in town? "

" Sounds great! And I just know where we could go! " the brunette replied, smirking.

A few minutes later, the small group was standing in front of a café named The Wolf's Lair. The three gulped loudly.

" You sure you wanna go there? " Axel quietly asked, as if he was afraid the bikers inside would hear him.

" Yup. It's great, you'll see! " Sora replied, then entered, followed by his reluctant friends. " Hi, Aerith! " he greeted the barmaid.

" Hey, Sora! Roxas! " she replied.

" Aerith? What are you doing here? " the blonde boy asked, his eyes widening.

" Well, I'm working here, of course! " she replied, beaming. " It's been a long time, Sora! How are you doing? "

" Sora's here? " a man asked. The small group turned their heads to look at him. He got up and headed towards the brown-haired teen, then whacked him in the back " Hey, kid! Long time no see! "

" Hey, Cid. " the brunette replied, slightly wincing. " _It hurts, dammit! _" he thought.

" Hey, know what? Charlie, right there – " he said, pointing to a bald man. " – broke your record! "

" Heh?! No fair! Let's rematch!! " Sora exclaimed, frowning. The truth is he liked challenges.

" No way. " Aerith stated. " You're still under aged. "

" Aw, come on! No one will know! Pleaaaaaaaaase? " the brunette asked, making his irresistible puppy eyes. She mumbled a quiet 'whatever' as Cid pulled the teen at Charlie's table. The woman heaved a sigh and brought glasses and bottles of beer at their table, then left.

" What is that about? " Axel wondered.

" They just want to know who can drink the most glasses of beer without being completely drunk. That's so stupid. I don't what could be so – "

" Hey, sounds fun! Let's join them, Roxie! " the red head joyfully exclaimed. Roxas simply nodded, then walked towards the table. The barmaid heaved an exasperated sigh.

" Aren't you going too? " she eventually asked Riku, motioning for him to help her bring the glasses as the men were cheering the competitors.

" Er, no. I can't hold my drink that well. " he admitted, taking some of the recipients.

" I see. Well, it looks like it'll take a while this time. The others are taking part in it, too. " Aerith told the teen. There were now a dozen men sitting around the table.

About an hour later, only Axel, Charlie, Roxas and Sora remained. The others were either throwing up in the toilets or asleep in their seats. But Charlie quickly gave up, soon followed by Axel.

" It's no use to continue. " Sora told his cousin. " It'll never end if it's only the two of us. "

" I guess you're right. " Roxas replied, drinking his last glass, like Sora. They both put their drinks down on the table, and grinned at the others.

" How can you two drink that much and not feel – hick – sick?! " the red head asked. In fact, he wasn't **that** drunk. He only had the hiccups because he drank too fast.

" We don't know. It must be the genetics. " the cousins replied at the same time. Riku grinned.

" But Sora **can** be drunk at times. " he said as he walked towards the counter as asked something to Aerith.

" Really? I don't remember ever being drunk… " the brunette replied, frowning.

" Most people don't remember they were drunk, you know. " Axel told him matter-of-factly.

" No, he's right. " Roxas added. " I can't remember either. " Riku came back with a steamy cup in his hand.

" Here. " he said, handing the cup to Sora. The brunette eyed it suspiciously.

" It's just… hot water. " he stated. He didn't understand why, but his three friends burst out laughing, and he pouted.

They spent the afternoon wandering in the streets, eventually talking to some girls who asked for Sora's autograph. Riku would shoo them if they were too insistent, until…

" Gyaaaaaaaaaah! It's **HIM**!!!! " a girl screamed. The group turned their head, and everyone – except for Sora – paled.

" It's those rabid fan girls again! " Roxas exclaimed. " Run for your lives!! " he added, running away. Axel followed his boyfriend, and Riku began to run too, but Sora wouldn't move.

" Why are you all leav- " he began but was interrupted as Riku pulled him by the wrist, following his friends. The brunette looked back from time to time and quickly noticed the girls weren't following them any more. " We lost them. " he stated and the three stopped running. They were all panting heavily, especially Sora. Really, Riku was way taller than him! He had a hard time keeping up with his pace…. They decided to go back, but the smaller boy couldn't walk at all for the time being. So, being the gentleman he was, the silver-haired boy gave him a piggyback ride, ignoring his friend's protests. No need to say the walk to the dormitory took a little while longer than expected. Hey, Riku might be strong but he was still human! He was panting heavily when he put Sora on his bed in their room, then he collapsed next to him, his chest rising and falling quickly. Sora looked at him. His forehead was slightly sweating, his thin lips partly parted and his eyes were almost closed. He took the picture of his tired friend in, then he suddenly blushed, noticing he was actually staring at him.

" Are you okay, Riku? " the blue-eyed boy eventually asked. " I'm – I'm sorry, it's my fault if you're – "

" It's… okay. " the other replied between sharp inhalations. He heaved a loud sigh, then stared at Sora. The brunette instinctively looked behind him, then he turned to Riku again. " There's something under my pillow. Take it. It's for you. " Sora nodded once, then did what he was told. He lifted his friend's pillow and found a small, shiny object. After looking at it closer, Sora noticed it was a key chain that had the shape of a crown.

" It… It's beautiful. Is it really for me? " the spiky-haired teen hesitantly asked.

" Yeah. I thought you'd like it. "

Sora eyed it for a moment, then attached it to his waistband. " What do you think? " he asked, beaming at his friend who sat up, grinning.

" It looks good on you. "

" Why, thank you. " the brunette replied, blushing as he slowly walked towards Riku's bed. He sat down next to him, playing with his fingers absent-mindedly. " I like it a lot. " he added, smiling softly. He could feel the older teen's gaze on him. " You know, I – " he began, then silenced himself as he turned his head to look at the other. He sighed. " It'll be easier to show you, I think. "

" Show me wha – " Riku began but was cut off by lips crashing onto his. He pulled the other away, eyeing him suspiciously. " I knew one couldn't drink so much without being ill. "

" Riku! How could you?! " the brunette angrily exclaimed, then pinned the older teen to his bed. The silver-haired boy gulped slowly. " I know about us. "

" Know what? "

" I know we were dating for some time, before I forgot about it. " he said, now hovering his friend. " I'm really sorry I didn't remember earlier. " Blue eyes averted their gaze from green ones.

" When did you remember? "

" When I… Well, Allan and I were… And then he… And I - " He was silenced by a finger pressing against his soft lips.

" Shh. Calm down, then try again. I don't understand. " Riku told him, an amused smile on his lips. The younger boy took a deep breath, then spoke again.

" Allan and I were about to have sex, but then I remembered everything about you and me being a couple… Oh God, I can't believe I actually told you **that**! That's so embarrassing! " the teen said, straddling Riku before he hid his face in his hands.

" _Oh please, don't do that! You're killing me inside!!_ " Riku mentally panicked, but he remained calm on the outside. " Now I understand why he was so mad at you. Poor guy. " he chuckled softly as he sat up. He lifted his eyes to look at Sora's hidden face. He could still see it blushing. " Sora, does that mean that you… " he trailed off, but noticed the other had his hands covering his face. " Please, look at me. " he said, grabbing the other's wrists gently and moving them away from his reddened face. Blue eyes looked at green ones. " Do you… like me? " Riku asked. Slowly, Sora nodded, biting his bottom lip nervously.

" I… like you a lot, actually. " he whispered, still looking straight into Riku's eyes.

" That's great. " the other replied. " 'Cause I like you a lot too. "

" Well, I knew that. " the brunette replied. " At least, I knew you liked me back then. I didn't know if it was still like that. " He looked away for a second, then stared at his friend – now, boyfriend – again. " Why didn't you tell me anything before? "

" I was afraid you wouldn't believe me or that you would be angry because I didn't tell you earlier. " Riku admitted, looking at his feet – well, actually, at Sora's crotch since he was still sitting on him. He coughed nervously and looked at the wall instead.

" Well, everything's okay now. Right? " the brunette asked, beaming at the other.

" Yeah. " the silver-haired teen answered. He leant forward and left a peck on Sora's lips. He pulled away slightly, then brushed his lips against the other's again. And again. The blue-eyed boy wrapped his arms around Riku's neck instinctively, and the older boy put his hands on the smaller teen's hips as he licked the soft lips feverishly to ask for entrance. He smirked in the kiss when he noticed the other complied immediately and kissed back. They pulled away, both needing to breathe. Sora turned his head and noticed a painting in the corner of the room.

" What is it? " he asked, pointing at it.

" I did it for the contest you guys held, but it never got to you. " the older teen replied.

" What a shame. " Sora told the other, frowning. " It matches perfectly with the story. "

" Just my luck. " Riku replied, shrugging.

" Say, Riku. "

" Hm? "

" Why are you staring at my crotch? "

" Am I? "

" Yeah, and it's making me feel nervous… "

" He he, I'll make you feel way better in no time. " the older boy smugly replied, shifting their positions, so that he was hovering the brunette. To his surprise, Sora laughed quietly. He had to stop pretty soon though, for the younger boy was **really** uncomfortable with the attention he was getting. So, being the gentleman he was, Riku stopped. And both fell asleep as the older teen held the brunette in his arms. Oh how he waited for the day when he could do this. And finally, it came. Now, they were together and nothing would break them apart. Riku knew it, and so did Sora.

------Fin------

A/N:

Riku: What kind of ending was **that**?!

Becca: A cute, fluffy and happy one!

Riku: It doesn't really look like an ending to me…

Becca: Hehe, maybe because there's still more to come!

Sora: Why is it written 'fin', then?

Becca: Come on, you two! That's the end of the main story, okay? I'll just add a few chapters to let people know how you two will be doing later.

Riku: evil grin Then, I suggest you change the rating to 'M'.

Becca: Actually, I'm considering that….

Sora: pales…. Are you serious?

Xaldin: cries from joy I can't believe someone told me I'm cool!

And that is the end! Sigh, that was kinda hard to write! Actually, I had to change some things to make this chapter longer. (talk about fillers…) sigh Anyway, as I said, that is the end of the main plot, but I'll add two, maybe three shorter chapters that will just talk about trivial things concerning our two love-birds. These will probably be submitted later, as I'm already beginning a new story! You'll be able to read it pretty soon! It's being typed as you read this. So, without further ado, here is the list of people I should thank!

**Anahearts123**: Thank you so very much for reviewing each chapters I wrote! You greatly motivated me and I'm really thankfull!

**Eternamente**: Thank you also for reviewing so often, and for saying you liked this story so much. That made my day! XD So, I'll be able to read the rest of your story soon? makes the victory dance (don't ask why that one ; )

**ShiraiHime**: Thanks for your reviews. I loved how you'd make the characters talk with you in them! That was really fun!

**Shrouded-Obsession**: Another great reader who kept reviewing! Thank you so very much!

I should also thank **Emeraldeyes1029, ****RoxasRoxOutloud****, Yumeki-chan, Kurai Amaya, Firestorm Studios, CrazedPanda93, Purple Crystal Dagger, Shadowtailmon, Blackkeyblade, ****Zaray **and finally **Chickenknot.** I love you guys and hope to see you soon with my whole new story! XD gives kisses


	23. Chapter 23 bonus

**Disclaimer:** I like all this characters sooooooo much! Too bad most of them aren't mine... ;

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Bonus chapter : While no one is watching us...

---

" Woah, it's amazing! " the brunette exclaimed as he stepped in Riku's apartment. He finished college a few months ago and had now his own place, while Sora was still a student and, thus, living in the school's dormitory.

" Come on, sweetheart, it's not the first time you come here. " Riku replied, chuckling. In fact, Sora came to his place almost every week. Both had little time to see each other. The green-eyed man was working at a grocery store until he found another job, and Sora had lots of homeworks since he was in his last year of college. " Do you want something to drink? " the young man asked.

" Coffee! " the younger boy answered, sitting on the couch.

" No, you're too excited. Hmmm... Hot milk will do you good. " Riku stated. He went in the kitchen, ignoring his boyfriend's complaints. If he gave Sora coffee, Roxas wouldn't be able to sleep and Riku wouldn't hear the end of it. Since Axel wasn't in college any more either, Roxas wanted to move in with his cousin again, much to Riku's relief. He was glad Sora didn't share his room with a total stranger. At least, Roxas wouldn't try to seduce him. He went back in the living room with two mugs of hot milk and gave one to Sora who gladly accepted it.

" Thanks. " he whispered. He took a sip of the hot beverage and glanced discreetly at the other boy. It had been several months – almost a year - since they were a couple and they never did anything else than kiss. Sora liked that, of course, but he wondered why Riku never tried to take the next step. Maybe their bond wasn't as strong as he thought? Or maybe Riku wasn't ready for that? Tch, as if.

" Sora, stop giving that poor mug such dirty looks. It did nothing wrong. " Riku suddenly said. The brunette heaved a sigh and laid the mug on the coffee table. He thought about what he could say to Riku and, when he opened his mouth to say something, he found it impossible. The older boy leant forward and brushed his lips against Sora's. The teen gladly complied and shifted his position so that he was more comfortable. Riku quickly pulled away though, which annoyed the other.

" _There he goes again. He won't go furth- _" the blue-eyed boy began to think, frowning. To his surprise, Riku kissed him again and this time, it was definitely not that innocent. It was feverish and passionate. The brunette opened his mouth to let his lover explore his mouth, which was gladly done. While their tongues began to fight for domination, Sora's hands played with silver strands of hair and Riku's played with the hem of the brunette's shirt. They sneaked their way under the soft fabric and roamed on the soft skin they found under it. Sora gasped, pleasure spreading inside of his body. He lay down on the couch, pulling Riku along. The older teen broke the kiss and brushed his lips against the younger one's jaw.

" Say, Sora, " he whispered in the brunette's ear. " Are you sure you're ready for this? " Each word he said made him involuntarily brush his lips against Sora's ear. The brunette shuddered.

" Hell yeah. It was high time you took the initiative. " Sora replied, his voice sultry. To prove his point, he lifted his leg up and rubbed his knee against Riku's sensitive area.

The older one squeezed his eyes shut, " Okay, okay, understood. " He was about to take action when someone knocked at the door. He lifted his head up and glared at the door.

" Don't answer, they'll leave in a while. " the brunette said, pulling Riku to him again.

" Somehow, I think I should answer, but I don't know why. " the green-eyed boy replied.

" Maybe he's not there. " a kid said. And then, it struck to Riku.

" Shit, Yuna! " he exclaimed, getting up and running towards the door. Sora sat up and pouted.

" Riku!! " Yuna exclaimed when her brother opened the door.

" Don't tell me you forgot? " Zexion asked, frowning at the silver-haired boy who sheepishly smiled. " Great, just great. What a poor excuse for a brother you are. " he added.

" I'm sorry, I was just... Busy. " Riku half-lied.

" Sora's here too?! " the little girl exclaimed, beaming at the brunette who didn't seem to be taking the news as well as her.

" Hi, Yuna. " Sora said, trying to sound glad but failing miserably. Zexion glanced at Riku and smiled at him apologetically. The green-eyed boy shook his head.

" It's okay, don't worry. " Riku said. " We'll have plenty of other chances. "

" I'll come back in about two hours. I'll try to hurry up. " the blue-haired boy apologized. " Just don't do anything funny in front of her. "

" Now, we can behave ourselves you know. " the silver-haired boy stated. Zexion left the three quickly and promised to be back as soon as he could. Taking a deep breath, Riku spun around and glanced at his little sister and at his lover who seemed to have calmed down pretty quickly... In both ways.

" Sora, why is your face so red? " Yuna asked, putting a hand on the teen's cheek.

" Don't you think it's kind of hot in here? " he innocently asked. The kid shook her head no. " Oh, well it's - "

" Say Yuna, what about playing video games? Or do you want to watch a movie? " the silver-haired boy said, helping his lover who gratefully smiled at him. Yuna frowned.

" Nu-huh, your games are too hard to play for me. I'd like to watch a movie though. " she replied. She stood up, took a look at the teen's movies then picked one. " I want to see this one! " she exclaimed, handing the dvd case to his brother, whose eyes widened.

" You want to watch Brokeback Mountain?! " Riku asked, arching a delicate eyebrow.

" Why not? There are cowboys, and I love them! Plus uncle told me it was a great movie! " the little girl explained, waving her arms frantically like it would convince her brother.

" Errr... No. Choose something else. " he eventually decided. That wouldn't be a wise thing to do anyway, not in his current state and with Sora sending him such suggestive looks. Did he really think no one saw him?! Yuna muttered something but still chose another film, much to her big brother's relief. They watched it in silence, commenting a scene from time to time, and time passed fast. Zexion came back and picked his young sister up.

" How did it go? " the blue-haired boy asked as Yuna put her coat on.

" Pretty well. We watched Finding Nemo. " the silver-haired boy replied. He gave a glance at his clock and noticed it was already late. Zexion noticed it and sighed.

" Well, thank you. " the older brother said as he scratched the back of his neck. " Er, I'm not supposed to do this but I'll let Sora sleep here if he wants to. I'll just close my eyes for this time. " That being said, he left and waved goodbye to Riku who stood, speechless, at his door frame. He closed the door and walked towards the sofa where his boyfriend was still lying.

" Did you just hear that, Sora? It looks like bro's feeling bad about earlier. " the green-eyed boy said. No reply. " Sora, are you listening? " he insisted. Still no reply. He took a closer look at the brunette and saw he was sound asleep. Oh great... What to do now? He squatted before the couch and caressed Sora's soft cheek gently. The brunette frowned in his sleep and slowly opened his eyes.

" Riku? What time is it? " the spiky-haired teen asked as he searched for the clock.

" Don't worry about that. Zexion told me you can sleep over if you want. "

" That's nice of him. " the other replied and drifted into sleep again.

" What? Sleeping again?! " Riku complained. Sora wasn't planning to sleep the whole evening, was he? To his surprise, the brunette opened the eyes again and had a devilish grin.

" Just kidding. " the younger boy said in a amused tone. He quickly kissed his lover and stood up. " I'm hungry. " he stated before he stretched his arms above his head.

" I can cook fish if you want. " the other offered, but Sora made a face.

" Not after watching Nemo. I'll feel bad for the poor fish. " the brunette replied as he blushed a little. Riku laughed, as the other expected.

" Now, you can be so childish sometimes! But that's what makes you so adorable. " the older boy said while patting his lover's head. " Okay, I'll just cook something else. " he concluded. In the end, they ate pasta then spent some time watching TV. After less than one hour, the green-eyed teen peered at Sora and caught him yawning. " How about we go to bed? You seem tired. "

" Nice idea. " the brunette replied as he secretly grinned. " I'll take a shower first. " he added before he headed for said place. Riku blinked in confusion.

" _Now, what is he planning? _" the silver-haired boy thought. He waited for what seemed like an eternity until his boyfriend joined him in the bedroom. Riku was already wearing his pyjamas and he was lying on the bed. The brunette sat next to him and scooted closer, then he nuzzled his cheek against Riku's arm. " Erm, won't you be a little uncomfortable if you sleep in that position? " Green orbs stared at annoyed blue ones. The boy couldn't help but laugh. " Okay, okay, I get it. " he added while he suddenly placed himself on top of the brunette who made a little sound of surprise. Sora gasped as Riku kissed him on his neck and licked and bit the soft flesh. The younger boy lifted his arms and wrapped them around his lover's neck to pull him closer while Riku's hand slid under the other's pyjamas top. Sora felt a shiver down his spine and gasped again.

" Really Riku... How come your hands are... Always so cold? " the blue-eyed boy whispered between soft moans.

" Shh, don't speak. " the other said. He locked his lips on Sora's to prevent him from paying attention to what his hands were doing. The battle for domination quickly ended when the brunette found himself pinned under his lover's body, which didn't bother him that much. The silver-haired teen could feel Sora's heartbeats and could tell he was really scared despite the confidence he had earlier. " Don't be scared, Sora. "

" I'm **not **scared. " the other replied with a pout.

" Yes you are. Your heart's beating like mad. " Riku said as he leant forward to place a chaste kiss on the smaller boy's chest, which made Sora shudder with pleasure. Riku took his boyfriend's hand and placed it on his own chest. Blue eyes widened. " See? I'm as scared as you even though I know every thing's going to be fine. "

" Maybe you're just excited? " the brunette asked as he tilted his head to the side. Riku laughed.

"Well, there's that too. But still, it's my first time and I'm scared of hurting you. " he said as he placed a hand on the other's cheek. Sora nuzzled in the soft touch and kissed Riku's palm.

" You won't. As you said, it's going to be fine. But... " the brunette trailed off as he avoided his boyfriend's gaze. " It's also my first time so don't expect me to know how to do this... "

" Do not worry, darling. " Riku said. He kissed Sora again as his hands expertly removed the brunette's pants. " I've watched several films about that so I know what to do. "

" What? You're kidding, right? " the spiky-haired boy asked as he arched an eyebrow. That's when he noticed something he never saw in his friend's eyes. Something he liked a **lot**.

" You're so sexy when you look at me like that. " the silver-haired boy stated. " You have no idea how much I love you. "

Their night was perfect. They fell asleep in each other's arms and slept peacefully until it was time for Sora to wake up. He still had to go to school and he couldn't be late. Riku ate breakfast with him even though Sora told him to sleep.

" Well, thank you for every thing. " the brunette told his lover as he stood in front of the door frame. He really didn't want to leave. One night a week wasn't enough and he was sick and tired of this. He wanted to stay with Riku every day like he used to. Fortunately, he was sharing a room with Roxas. That made things a lot easier for him.

" Heh, that's my line. " Riku replied as he gave the other a peck on the lips.

" _What will become of us when my last year at school ends_? " the brunette thought while he was hugging Riku close to him. " _I'll probably have to go back to my parents' house while he'll be staying here. It's so far... _ " Somehow, the green-eyed teen felt Sora's anxiety. He broke the hug and looked at the other straight in the eyes.

" There's something I'd like to ask you. " Riku began. When the other gave no reply, he bit his bottom lip nervously. " _Here goes nothing._ " the silver-haired boy thought. " I know we've been together for a year only, but I still like you a lot and I... I suppose you'll be going to your parents' house when you're done with your studies, right? "

" I guess so. "

" Alright. Is that... Okay with you? "

Sora frowned at the older teen and folded his arms to his chest as he made a cute pout. " Now, stop beating around the bush and tell me what you have to say. Don't you remember what happened because of that before? " Riku nodded slowly and took a deep breath.

" What about living with me? "

" ...Excuse me? " the brunette asked. He was stunned, to say the least.

" I want you to move in with me. Maybe you think it's too early but - "

" Okay. " Sora cut him off.

" - Our relationship is strong and I don't think we're going to - "

" Riku, I told you I'd like that. " the brunette cut the other off again.

" - stop seeing each other and... Excuse me? " Sora rolled his eyes and placed a chaste kiss on the other's cheek. " I guess it's a yes. " Riku said. His face was slowly turning a deep shade of red.

" Of course, silly! " the brunette exclaimed, a bright smile on his face. Somehow, parting seemed less difficult now and Sora couldn't wait for the end of the school year to come...

End

A/N: Well, that's it! This little chapter was just an epilogue to show you what happened after our love-birds became a couple. Heh, now there was nothing that original... Oh well. Anyway, A Start from Scratch is now complete. Thanks to everyone who read, reviewed and added that story to their favourites! I'm so grateful! gives cookies You can also read my other story "All I need is..." if you feel like it.


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